Over 40 village administrators in the Kyauktaw township of Myanmar’s Rakhine state resigned their posts on Tuesday to protest the arrests of colleagues by military forces, saying that civilian workers suspected of involvement with the rebel Arakan Army should be investigated only in cooperation with civilian departments, RFA reported.

The move followed news that Shwe Phi Thar village administrator Thein Soe Aung and Minthat Thaung village administrator Aung Thein Kyaw had been detained by government soldiers for questioning and held for several days before being transferred to police custody.

Reached for comment by RFA, Htay Maung—deputy director of the Rakhine state governmen—confirmed that the letters had been sent, together with administrators’ badges and seals of office, but declined to discuss the case further and hung up the phone.