Family members have not been allowed to see four men from northern Maungdaw Township, including a village administrator and another local official, who were arrested by the Myanmar military some two weeks ago.

U Phone Ko Naing, the administrator of Kyeinchaung village, was detained along with Ko Tun Chay, Ko Tun Kyaing and U Ba Thein, a village in-charge for Thayargon village, on July 19-20, when they were taken into custody by Myanmar military and Border Guard Force (BGF) personnel.

“They have not been allowed to meet family members since their arrest. BGF officials told us that they will be released if they are not guilty. They are currently held at a BGF battalion in Kyeinchaung village,” a family member of U Phone Ko Naing told DMG.

The Arakan Army captured 14 junta soldiers and police personnel after the ethnic armed group clashed with the Myanmar military in Maungdaw Township on July 18, the ethnic armed group said in a statement on July 19.

Local residents said the Myanmar military arrested the four men after the fighting on suspicion of having links with the Arakan Army.

A family member told DMG that U Ba Thein, 32, was detained on July 20 when he, along with the administrator of Thinbawha village, went to a BGF camp in Taungpyo village for a meeting.

Family members are worried about U Ba Thein’s safety as they have been repeatedly denied access to the detainee, said Daw Ma Sein Mya, the man’s elder sister.

“We went to the BGF camp three times to meet him [U Ba Thein] but we were denied access. We are concerned for his safety. We want him released as soon as possible because he is not guilty,” she told DMG.

The four men are currently being held at a BGF camp about one mile north of Kyeinchaung village, said a family member of Ko Tun Chay.

“We are worried about their safety because we have not been allowed to see them. We don’t know exactly whether they have been tortured or beaten. I want them to be released as soon as possible because they have not committed any crime,” he added.

DMG phoned Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura for comment on the detention of the four men, but he could not be reached.

There has been growing concern among village administrators and locals following the military’s detention of dozens of civilians in Arakan State over recent weeks.