Thirteen police officers who were escorting detained young civilians from Myawaddy to Hpa-an in Karen State have gone missing, with no information about their whereabouts, according to police sources. The incident occurred on September 3rd when the police team from Myawaddy Township Police Force was transporting 20 young people who had been arrested for forced porter duty. The group disappeared while traveling through the Dawna mountain range, and there has been no contact or information about their status for 17 days, as of September 21st.
Among the missing police officers is former Police District Commander Ye Min Thu, who was working as a police informant at the time. The group initially departed as part of a convoy with Border Guard Force (BGF) vehicles, but the BGF separated from them during the journey. Subsequently, all contact was lost with the police officers and detained civilians in the Dawna mountain region. Pro-military Pyu Saw Htee groups in Myawaddy initially posted on social media requesting an investigation into the disappearances, but these posts were later removed under pressure from military authorities.
Currently, relevant authorities are conducting covert investigations into the matter, though no communications have been established with the missing group. Some sources speculate that the disappearance might be related to information leaked by the BGF, while others point to the complex situation in the Dawna mountain area, where multiple armed groups operate. The situation in Myawaddy remains tense, with the military maintaining numerous positions throughout the city. Additionally, ward administrators in Wards 1, 2, and 5, along with pro-military armed groups, continue to conduct operations to arrest young people for forced porter duty, highlighting the ongoing practice of civilian exploitation in the region.
