Ten people from Yay Bote village, Rathedaung Township, were abducted by the Tatmadaw on the morning of 30 October, according to local people.

The Tatmadaw troop entered the village on 27 October and interrogated villagers before they took the ten villagers, said a local resident on condition of anonymity.

They had been detained and questioned since the Tatmadaw had arrived at the village, the villager said.

“When a military troop entered the village, all villagers, both families of detained people and other families, have been scared,” a woman from the village, who does not want to reveal her name, said.

“Families of detained villagers are concerned about their relatives. They are expecting the release of the detained people,” she said.

U Maung Hla Kyaw, U Shwe Thar Tun, U Tun Aye Maung, U Hla Thar Aung, U Kyaw Maung, U Thar Sein Tun, Mg Wai Thein, Nyein Zaw Win, Ni Chay Maung and Kyaw Thein Maung were taken by the Tatmadaw.

Yay Bote village is two miles away from Yay Myet village where the Shwe Nadi express boat was stopped by the Arakan Army on 26 October. The Tatmadaw conducted airstrikes using helicopters in the region following the AA’s abduction of 58 passengers from the express boat including military personnel and police.

Since the area is lacking stability, most villagers fled to nearby villages for safety, according to local sources.

The Tatmadaw visits and checks villages near conflict affected areas very often to see if AA soldiers mix in with local villagers. Any suspicious people will be questioned, sometimes villagers may get arrested.

The AA, however, responded that the members of the AA never stay in villages pretending to be civilians.