The abbot of a village monastery in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, was released on the morning of November 9, five days after he was detained by the military, according to a source close to the monk.

 

“The abbot was reportedly sent back to Myoma Monastery in Maungdaw by security affairs officials from the Myanmar military this morning,” a resident of Maungdaw town told DMG on Tuesday. “Monastery officials are planning to send the abbot to his native village.”

 

DMG attempted to contact the abbot, 40-year-old U Pinnasiri, to seek comment on his arrest and release, but he could not be reached.

 

The abbot was taken from a Buddhist recitation ceremony held at Myoma Monastery in the town of Maungdaw’s Myoma Ward at about 10 p.m. on November 4. U Pinnasiri is the abbot of the Ywet Nyo Taung Village monastery in the north of Maungdaw Township.

 

Myanmar military personnel also detained a young woman and a motorcycle taxi driver at the Kyeinchaung security checkpoint in Maungdaw on November 1, and the pair have not been in contact with their families since.

 

Fierce fighting between the military and Arakan Army (AA) is ongoing across much of Arakan State, and Maungdaw Township residents are on edge as a series of arrests and abductions have taken place over recent weeks, with both of the warring sides taking people into custody.