Myanmar junta ally forcibly conscripting displaced residents of Banmauk

Civilians displaced by fighting in Sagaing Region’s Banmauk Township are being forced to join the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA), an ethnic armed group aligned with Myanmar’s military, according to local sources. The forced recruitment is taking place west of the town of Banmauk, which was captured by resistance forces in September, the sources said. The SNA and junta troops remain in control of the western part of the township. The SNA began luring displaced villagers to areas under its control in early October, a man familiar with the situation told Myanmar Now. “They brought people to their area, offering them rations as an incentive. Then they began forcing young people to undergo military training,” the man said. He added that some who went into hiding after refusing to leave their villages were later captured by the SNA, which claimed to be giving them refuge. In October, more than 100 civilians were taken captive by a combined force of junta and SNA troops following an offensive on Set Taw, a village about three miles west of Banmauk. While the exact number of forcible recruits currently serving in the SNA is unknown, it is believed to include most young people from at least seven villages. According to residents, training for the new recruits is being conducted in Nant Nan Htun, a village located around 15 miles northwest of Banmauk. Myanmar Now was unable to contact SNA officers for comment. This is not the first time the SNA has been accused of pressing local civilians into military service. In December of last year, dozens of Banmauk residents were conscripted by the group, prompting many others to flee. While active fighting in and around the town has eased, sources say the situation remains tense amid an ongoing stand-off between the two sides. Thousands of residents have fled to resistance-controlled villages east of the town. While the SNA frequently clashed with Myanmar’s military and the Kachin Independence Army in the past, it has fought alongside regime forces since the February 2021 coup. The SNA and the junta army have carried out joint operations in Hkamti, Homalin, Paungbyin, Banmauk, Wuntho, and Indaw townships in Sagaing Region and Hpakant and Mohnyin townships in Kachin State.

Myanmar junta ally forcibly conscripting displaced residents of Banmauk

Residents of at least seven villages have reportedly been forced to join the Shanni Nationalities Army in recent months, sources say

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