Over 40 Men Arbitrarily Arrested by Junta Forces in Thaton #Mon, Following Militia Killings

August 2, 2025

HURFOM: Following the shooting deaths of two militia members, junta forces launched a brutal crackdown in Pu Taing Yoe village, Thaton Township, Mon State, arresting more than 40 local men, according to residents.

On the afternoon of July 30, around 2 p.m., a combined force of junta soldiers and police raided the village, reportedly arriving in seven vehicles.

“There were about 40 troops, soldiers and police combined. They went door to door, arresting people. If anyone tried to flee, they were shot at. More than 40 people were taken,” said a resident of Pu Taing Yoe.

Among those detained were over 20 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), while the rest were ordinary villagers, farm workers, shopkeepers, and local youth, according to sources.

The arrested men, all aged between 18 and 50, were reportedly transferred to multiple detention sites including Thaton Township Police Station, Thein Seik Police Station, and the No. 9 Military Training Base for interrogation.

Families of the detainees are growing increasingly distressed. One family contact shared, “When we asked the police, they told us the men had been sent to the No. 9 military base. They warned us that if we wanted our family members back, we’d need to send someone to serve in the military in their place. They refused to provide any more details.”

The raid followed a targeted shooting on the evening of July 26, when two militia members, U Than Zaw Oo and U Aung Ko Win, were killed near the village school. According to locals, the two men had just withdrawn money from a KPay shop when they were shot by resistance forces. Both were originally from Taung Soon village and had been stationed for more than six months at a monastery in Pu Taing Yoe alongside junta troops.

Tensions continue to rise as pro-junta Telegram channels have begun inciting violence, calling for the execution of the arrested men and demanding that young detainees be beaten, tortured, and forced into military training as conscripts.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News