Myanmar Junta Forcibly Recruits 70 Young Men Amid Rising Resistance

[geovalin]

 

RFA

 

Myanmar’s military has forcibly conscripted more than 70 young men from a single town in Ayeyarwady region, residents reported on Monday, as the junta continues to bolster its depleted ranks through mandatory military service.

Troops from the 534th Infantry Battalion rounded up the men—some as young as 17—on 14 March in Mawlamyinegyun township, sending them to military depots in Yangon for training. Locals say fear of forced recruitment has driven many young people to flee their villages or avoid sleeping at home.

 

Myanmar’s junta reintroduced compulsory military service last April, requiring men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve for at least two years. The move comes as the military struggles to contain an armed resistance movement that has inflicted heavy losses on its forces.

In recent months, resistance groups have targeted junta-aligned officials responsible for enforcing the draft. Since February 2024, at least 110 village and township administrators have been assassinated for their role in recruitment efforts, according to data compiled by RFA.

 

Many of those conscripted have been detained at gunpoint, with reports of torture and execution for those attempting to escape. Despite the growing risks, young people across Myanmar continue to seek ways to evade military service, either by fleeing the country or going into hiding.

Junta officials have not responded to inquiries about the latest round of forced recruitment. However, as opposition to the draft escalates, Myanmar’s military faces deepening resistance both on the battlefield and among its own population.

 

18-03-2025