Junta forces abduct 100 young Muslims from Buthidaung to enroll in conscription

More than 100 young Muslims from Buthidaung township in Rakhine State were abducted by the junta forces to enroll them in the military conscription.

They include 13 from Pa Zun Chaung village, 55 from Tat Ma Chaung village, 33 from Nga Kyaing Tauk village, and around 10 from Kyauk Phyu Taung village.

The junta forces entered the villages and abducted them on 19 and 20 February, said the villagers.

"They came into the villages and detained them. Most of them are young and they were taken to the 535th and 353rd battalions. The soldiers threatened more  arrests, which caused concern among the villagers," said a Muslim village elder.

Speaking to Narinjara News on the condition of anonymity, he added that due to the junta’s announcement of  more  arrests in Muslim villages, many young residents are now fleeing.

Many young residents expressed their willingness to join the Arakan Army rather than going with the junta forces.

Abducting young people against their will and forcing them to join the military services is nothing but the violation of human rights and the junta must be held responsible for its consequences, he asserted.

On 9 February, at number 5 border guard police battalion in Myo Thu Gyi Village under  Maungdaw township, division commander Thurein Tun and district administrator Nay Oo held a meeting with Mawlawi (Muslim religious scholars) from Maungdaw locality. They persuaded the Muslim villagers to cooperate with the junta forces.

As the response was not satisfactory, the junta soldiers abducted those young Muslims to compel them to join the military service, said a local resident.

The junta also obtained a list of internally displaced men (who are aged 18 to 55) from Kyauk Ta Lone Muslim IDP camp in Kyaukphyu and enrolled 150 individuals into military service.