19 June 2026 — Tensions have escalated in Kalay town as State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) forces launched a new wave of forced recruitment operations on 18 June 2026.
Military personnel, operating alongside members of the People’s Security and Counter-Terrorism Force, were observed apprehending civilians in the vicinity of the Car Lay Compound junction on Pin Lon Main Road at approximately 10:25 am.
This incident marks yet another in a persistent series of forced conscription efforts by the SSPC military in Kalay, a town that has become a critical flashpoint in the ongoing conflict within the Sagaing Region.
A pattern of escalation
The recruitment drive follows a documented trend of heightened military activity in Kalay throughout the first half of 2026. Local reports from previous months indicate a shift in tactics, with the SSPC local authorities no longer solely relying on payments for exemptions.
Residents have increasingly reported that detainees must provide a ‘replacement’ individual to serve in the military in order to secure their release, a policy shift that has exacerbated fear among the local youth.
Those detained during these operations are typically transported to the township administrative compound before being transferred to the No. 10 Advanced Military Training School near Sakhan Gyi village. In some reported instances, detainees have been moved to other regions via SSPC military aircraft.
Strategic importance and military desperation
Kalay serves as a strategic logistical base for the military’s operations toward Chin State. With the introduction of the People’s Military Service Law in 2024, the SSPC—the junta’s restructured governing body—has been under intense pressure to replenish ranks depleted by desertions and heavy battlefield losses.
The frequency of these operations, ranging from roadblocks on Bogyoke Road to random checks at key intersections like the Tada-U Bridge, highlights the junta’s aggressive efforts to maintain control over urban pockets in a region that remains one of the most active resistance fronts against military rule.
Public safety advisory
In light of the ongoing operations, local media outlets and community groups are urging residents to exercise extreme caution when traveling, particularly near known military checkpoints and high-traffic intersections.
Residents are advised to:
- Avoid the area near Car Lay Compound and surrounding administrative zones if possible.
- Remain vigilant while traveling, as military personnel have been known to operate in both uniform and plainclothes.
- Report suspicious military movements, forced porter recruitment, or conscription activities to local monitoring outlets such as Voice of Kalay via their Telegram channel.
The intensification of these conscription efforts continues to fuel widespread anxiety, internal displacement, and the migration of young people from the region, further destabilizing the local community. – Reporting by Daniel
