In Kale Town in Sagaing Region’s Kale Township, residents report that junta-appointed ward administrators frequently raid homes at night, abducting people for conscription.
“We hear about people being taken for conscription every day. Almost every night, junta officials break into homes and abduct locals, even fathers with many children are not exempt. The junta is intensifying these efforts because it needs more soldiers,” said a Kale resident who has been closely monitoring the junta’s activities in the area.
In the past, the junta primarily targeted pedestrians and people in pubs and restaurants for abduction, but recently, nighttime raids on homes have also become common.
Aung Aung, the Aung Thitsar Ward administrator in Kale Town, has become notorious for abducting local youths during nighttime raids and sending them to the regional military command in Kale.
Between August 17 and September 1, junta troops and allied Pyusawhti militia members carried out nighttime raids in Kale Town’s wards, arresting more than 50 men.
In the past, families of abducted individuals could secure their release by paying the junta. Now, however, the junta demands not only money but also a replacement person, making it much harder for detainees to regain their freedom.
Currently, junta troops are patrolling Kale Town, and setting up checkpoints at key locations to extort excessive taxes from cargo trucks.