27 April 2026— Two young men from Mindat township, Chin State, remain missing after being detained at a checkpoint run by Pyusawhtee (SSPC pro-militia) forces near Pakokku town, Magway Region, on the morning of 25 April.
The two youths were seized around 8:00 am at a checkpoint near the railway crossing while traveling by passenger vehicle from Saw to Pakokku.
According to local sources, including a report from Ĥkl Mindat, the checkpoint personnel—who included local militia members—searched their belongings and took them into custody.
As of the latest update, the individuals have not been transferred to any police station or released, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The detention appears to be part of an increasing pattern of arrests targeting young people from southern Chin State, often linked to allegations of forced recruitment or “political suspicion”.
Reports indicate that this particular checkpoint has frequently been used for detaining youths. Similar arrests have been documented in other regions, including Pathein in Ayeyarwady Region, and previous incidents in Magway Region have also resulted in the disappearance of detainees.
These incidents occur against a backdrop of escalating military conflict across the region. The State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) has intensified air offensives in Chin State townships like Mindat, Paletwa, and Falam, using indiscriminate attacks that frequently target non-military sites.
Given the rising risk of arrest and enforced disappearance, residents have been urged to exercise extreme caution while traveling. – Reporting by Ben
