Lamaing town, Ye Township, on the same day the ward administrator of Lamaing town was shot dead, troops under the military junta arrested about 20 young men and are holding them at the Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 106 base in Mawt Ka Nin village, according to local sources.
Two unidentified men shot and killed the administrator of Lamaing’s No. 1 ward on September 28. Following the incident, junta troops and police launched extensive searches in Lamaing and surrounding villages, including Mawt Ka Nin, deploying large numbers of forces.
During the security sweeps, around 20 young men aged between 17 and 18 were arrested on suspicion while traveling through the area and taken to LIB 106 in Mawt Ka Nin, a resident of Lamaing said.
“On the day of the shooting, around 10 a.m., they sealed off all entry and exit routes in Lamaing and Mawt Ka Nin. About 20 youths were arrested that same day. I was too afraid to speak at the time, but they detained anyone they suspected,” he said.
Most of those detained are from Lamaing town, Mawt Ka Nin, Kundaing, and nearby villages, sources said.
Some families of the arrested youths reportedly paid between 500,000 and 1 million kyats to LIB 106 and secured the release of a few detainees.
“About five people were released after their families paid bribes. But the rest are still being held. We don’t know what will happen to them. Meanwhile, junta troops are still searching villages every day,” said a resident of Ye.
On October 1, artillery fire from junta’s Artillery Battalion 317 in Mawt Ka Nin was also reported, with shells randomly landing near Lamaing and nearby villages. Junta forces have tightened security in the area, making travel unsafe, residents said.
In September alone, at least seven people, including administrators and local residents, were killed in Ye, Thanbyuzayat, and Mudon townships. So far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Despite promises of reduced military control, Ye Township continues to face killings, robberies, and extortion. Local Mon residents condemned the targeting of unarmed civilians, saying they cannot accept such violence.
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