In Tanintharyi Township, Tanintharyi Region, the junta has commandeered civilian trucks and lorries from villages where recent clashes occurred to bolster reinforcement efforts and transport supplies.

"Recently, there has been fighting around Hton Htaw Village. After that, junta troops are forcibly commandeering civilian vehicles from 6-Mile Village, which is nearby. These trucks and lorries are then used by soldiers to transport troops and supplies,” a Karen National Union (KNU) officer in Tanintharyi Township said.

Additionally, the junta troops have established checkpoints in Tanintharyi Township, targeting and arresting young people returning from Thailand. Their forced use of vehicles essential for transporting goods in the region has further exacerbated the economic hardships and affected the livelihoods of local communities, a Tanintharyi Township resident said.

"The checkpoint at the town entrance frequently arrests young people returning from Thailand. With the conscription law now officially enforced, the junta troops have become more aggressive in targeting and arresting youths. Previously, they used civilian vehicles as mobile shields to avoid being shot at by resistance forces. Now, however, the soldiers are commandeering these vehicles for their own use,” he told KIC.

The resistance forces have urged the public to avoid traveling in vehicles commandeered by the junta whenever possible and to stay vigilant about changes in the military situation.

Since September 2, the junta's operations advancing to several villages in Tanintharyi Township have led to widespread clashes with the coalition led by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).

In the past month, the junta's airstrikes in the region have increasingly utilized high-explosive flame bombs, cluster bombs, and 250-pound bombs, heightening concerns among locals.