Weekly Analysis: Local Man Forced to Enlist in the Military Junta Dies Within Hours of Arrest

October 20, 2025

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has been documenting the impacts of the junta’s illegal forced conscription since the regime began enlistment in 2024. There have been several worrying observations as the military regime continues to violently extend its reach into the lives of innocent people. Young people in the country have faced immense struggles in the aftermath of the coup, and the unjust effort to force them to fight is yet another threat to their survival.

Over the last week, a man who was taken for forced military conscription in Dawei died within hours of his arrest, according to residents in Thin Baw Seik Ward, Dawei Township. The victim, identified as Ko Yan Naing Oo, around 30 years old, was arrested at night. By the following morning, local authorities informed his family to collect his body.

“They only called the family after he had already passed away. I heard he had some health issues, maybe a chronic illness, but no one really knows what caused his death,” said a young man from the same ward.

On the night Ko Yan Naing Oo was detained, at least six other young men from Bon Maw, Zar Yit, Daung Ngu, and Ka Yat Pyin wards were also taken into custody for conscription. Local residents said that junta forces entered homes late at night and searched door to door for men to send to military training. Soldiers also stopped and detained people at checkpoints around Dawei town. This tragic case has deepened fear among local communities already living under constant pressure from arbitrary arrests and forced recruitment.

Meanwhile, conflict in Dawei remains a constant source of fear and anxiety. Intense fighting broke out near Launglon Town, Dawei District, on the morning of October 10, forcing residents to flee as junta troops clashed with resistance forces. The battle reportedly lasted for more than two hours, with gunfire still echoing through nearby villages the following morning.

Junta forces had entered Nyin Maw Village, located close to Launglon, early on October 9 and arrested five migrant workers before moving further toward the outskirts of the town. The arrests created panic among residents already living under constant fear of military operations.

“Around ten in the morning, heavy gunfire erupted, and it continued for hours,” said a woman from Launglon. “We don’t know exactly what’s happening, but people are running. The shooting hasn’t stopped.”

The confrontation is part of a broader escalation in Tanintharyi Region, where the junta has intensified both air and ground attacks as it pushes to regain control ahead of its planned sham election. Local humanitarian networks warn that renewed clashes are driving more families into displacement, worsening an already fragile situation for civilians in conflict-affected areas.

Overview of Main Cases

• Intense Fighting Erupts Near Launglon Town, Dawei District

On the morning of October 10, 2025, when junta troops clashed with local resistance forces, forcing residents to flee for safety. According to local reports, the battle lasted for more than two hours, with gunfire still echoing across nearby villages the following morning. The violence followed the junta’s incursion into Nyin Maw Village a day earlier, on October 9, where troops arrested five migrant workers and advanced toward Launglon’s outskirts.

The arrests and subsequent fighting caused widespread panic among civilians who have long lived under the fear of renewed military operations.

• Three Civilians, Including a Five-Year Old Child, Injured in Artillery Attack by the Junta in the Tanintharyi Region

On the afternoon of October 14, around 4 PM, soldiers from Artillery Battalion No. 306 reportedly launched heavy weapons indiscriminately, despite there being no active clashes nearby. One shell exploded in the center of the village, wounding an 82-year-old grandmother, a 48-year-old woman, and the young child.

The two women, who suffered serious injuries, were transferred to the Tanintharyi Township Public Hospital, while the child is receiving treatment at a nearby clinic.

• Ten Civilians, Including a Young Student, Injured During Junta Airstrike on Ta Ku Village, Tanintharyi Township

On the morning of October 10, 2025 at 9 AM, a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the local fire brigade office and market, destroying several buildings and leaving villagers wounded—some in critical condition. Witnesses confirmed there were no clashes in the area at the time, noting that fighting was happening more than 15 miles away. The military also fired machine guns into the village, forcing residents to close shops and seek shelter in fear.

• Residents of Min Thar Village in Dawei District Report Cases of Extortion

Locals reported that members of a junta-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia have been extorting money from men selected in the conscription lottery. According to a local woman, militia members told villagers that those whose names were drawn in September were required to serve in the military, but they could pay to avoid recruitment.