Local residents report that the military is conducting extensive recruitment and continuous military training in Ingapu and Bogale Townships of Ayeyarwady Region. The military is forcibly recruiting young people under the pretext of preparing for potential incursions by the Arakan Army (AA) and People’s Defense Forces (PDF). Following battles in Lemyethna Township, the military has been conducting daily arrests of young people in Myazali town and Kwin Kauk area of Ingapu Township, providing them with military training.
The primary recruitment and training center is the Military Advanced Training School No. 5 (MATS-5), where new recruits undergo short-term military training. The military not only conducts direct arrests but also uses village administrators and Pyu Saw Htee members to capture and deliver young recruits. In the Kwin Kauk area’s Nwa Chan village tract, military informants report any sightings of young people to MATS-5 for immediate arrest. Young people can no longer safely stay in their villages and must sleep in forests to avoid military arrest.
Similar situations are occurring in Kyun Nyo Gyi Island area of Bogale Township, where young people’s forced displacement has severely impacted agricultural work. The military claims that Ayeyarwady Region must be defended by local youth, using this as justification for forced recruitment. Parents of those who flee are subjected to intimidation and coercion. The Arakan Army has officially announced that they have captured several military council outposts within Lemyethna Township.
The military’s recruitment drive has created a climate of fear and instability in these areas. Young residents face daily risks of arrest and forced conscription, while their families endure threats and pressure from military authorities. The situation has disrupted normal life in these communities, with agricultural activities suffering as young people avoid their homes and fields. The military’s actions reflect a broader pattern of forced recruitment and civilian oppression, particularly intensifying in areas where resistance forces have shown increased activity.
