Junta soldiers arrest 9 civilians including infant in Gwa township

Saw Shin May, Narinjara News, 10 August 2024

The military junta forces start detaining civilians in Gwa township of Arakan State, where there are no recent conflicts and military tensions have been heightened.

During the first week of August, the junta forces arrested nine individuals from Kant Kaw (south) village, including a couple with a 3-month-old baby.

The arrested individuals include U Zeyar Aung, U Pauk Kyine, U Aung Myo Oo, U Aung Gyi, and Ko Zin Min Htet. 

"An infant along with the parents were taken away from their residence. They were tied up by the junta soldiers. As Gwa has a lot of mosquitoes, the family is kept in a cell in Gwa police station to avoid any dengue related sickness," said a local resident.

Besides the baby’s family, two men from Kant Kaw (middle) and Kant Kaw (Kwat Thit) villages were arrested from the Sat Thwar bridge gate. They are accused of supporting the Arakan Army and the soldiers physically assaulted them.

"The soldiers demanded money from the manual labourers and later arrested them with the accusation of supporting the AA members. They were taken to the monastery and beaten by the soldiers,” added the resident.

The remaining four individuals were arrested from Kaing Khone village and they are still in military custody.

Gwa township is located at the southernmost part of Arakan State and the military personnel are seen preparing for any kind of AA offensives.

The junta soldiers planted a number of  land mines and arrested the residents in an arbitrary manner.

On 8 August at around 2  am, the junta soldiers  bombed two villages near Kyeintali town in Gwa locality  using jet fighters. Many villagers died and some sustained injuries.

Additionally on 6 August at 10  pm, the junta's naval forces fired shells at a ridge in the west of Thea Kone village under Gwa township.

The township residents apprehend that the AA fighters may target the  562nd and 563rd light infantry battalions in the locality and hence the soldiers remain alert in the entire locality.