Junta troops arrested 45 locals in a raid on a village in Monywa township in Myanmar’s Sagaing region.
A military convoy with around 100 soldiers entered Nyaung Pin Thar village on Monday evening, taking prisoners for interrogation, a resident – who wished to remain nameless for safety regions – told RFA.
“About 45 people were arrested in Nyaung Pin Thar village,” the local told RFA. “Phones and everything else were confiscated. They took things and houses were searched. I don’t know whether the 45 have been released or not.”
The local said the troops spent the night at Nyaung Pin Thar and went on to raid Na Gar Twin village on Tuesday morning. Residents of Na Gar Twin fled the raids but the local said he didn’t know what current conditions were like in the village.
RFA contacted Aye Hlaing, social affairs minister and spokesman for the Sagaing regional government to seek his comments. He told our reporter to contact the region’s Ministry of Security and Border Affairs because it was a security issue.
On Oct. 4 and 5 junta troops raided two other villages in Monywa township — Mon Yway and Kyay Mon – arresting more than 100 people. Most were released when the troops left the village but locals said they took around 10 people with them.