Rakhine State traders want border pass for Bangladesh
Traders in Maungdaw Township of Arakan State told DVB that the Arakan Army (AA) should issue temporary border passes to allow travel into Bangladesh, as it has into India’s Mizoram State. The AA office in Shinletwa village of Paletwa Township in southern Chinland has been issuing one-week border passes for travel into Mizoram since August.
“We have to use illegal routes to travel into Bangladesh. We’re risking arrest by the Bangladesh police for illegal entry,” a trader in Arakan State told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Khaing Thukha, the AA spokesperson, told local media that the border passes are meant to monitor border crossings for security and health reasons, not to facilitate trade or the import of goods.
Residents of AA-controlled territory in Arakan and southern Chinland rely on border trade with India and Bangladesh for basic food and medicine as the regime has blocked all land and sea routes since November 2023 when the AA launched its statewide offensive. The AA has seized 14 of 17 Arakan townships, as well as Paletwa in Chinland. The regime controls the state capital Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung.
Regime counteroffensive to begin in Magway Region
The People’s Defence Force (PDF) in Magway Region told DVB that a military convoy from the regime Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI) 24, known in Burmese as KaPaSa, in Pauk Township arrived in Chauk Township on Sept. 6 to reassert control. Pauk is located 66 miles (106 km) north of Chauk. The two towns are located 71-136 miles (114-218 km) north of the region’s capital Magway.
A PDF member told DVB that the regime launched a 200-troop strong counteroffensive on Aug. 29 to reclaim the Pontaung Nathtate outpost, which served as a guard post for DDI 24 and is located between Pauk and Htilin townships. The PDF added that it seized the outpost earlier this year but did not share the information due to “security reasons.” The DDI 24 reportedly refines raw materials for aluminium production.
The regime has a total of 25 DDI with 15 of them located in Magway Region. A Magway-based politician told DVB on the condition of anonymity that an unknown number of them run on generators as the PDF has cut off the power supply to several. The regime is also reportedly sending supplies and troops to DDI 22 in Seikphyu Township, 63 miles (101 km) south of Pauk.
US imposes sanctions on scam centers in Myanmar
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions against cyber scam centers in Southeast Asia on Tuesday. This includes nine individuals and companies in Shwe Kokko, Karen State, which is controlled by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF). Shwe Kokko is located 15 miles (24 km) north of Myawaddy, along the Burma-Thailand border.
“Southeast Asia’s cyber scam industry not only threatens the well-being and financial security of Americans, but also subjects thousands of people to modern slavery,” John K. Hurley, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a Sept. 9 statement. He added that all resources are being used in order to fight organized crime and to shield Americans from financial loss.
The U.S. government reports that Americans have lost at least $10 billion USD in 2024 to Southeast Asia-based scam operations, a 66 percent increase over the previous year. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Saw Chit Thu, the BGF leader, alongside his two sons: Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, in May. They are accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to victims in the U.S. over the past three years. Read more
News by Region
Members of the Karen National Liberation Army in front of a school in Htaminmasa village of Palaw Township, Karen State, after a regime outpost was seized there on Sept. 8. (Credit: DVB)
TANINTHARYI—Fighting between regime forces and the Karen National Union (KNU) over control of a military outpost in Htaminmasa village of Palaw Township continued on Tuesday. Palaw is located 97 miles (157 km) south of the region’s capital Dawei.
Padoh Saw Eh Na, the KNU secretary, told DVB that KNU-led resistance forces seized the regime outpost from 40 military personnel stationed inside on Monday. Regime forces launched a counteroffensive later on Sept. 6 but have so far yet to recapture the lost base.
YANGON—Residents told DVB that regime administrative officials are compiling lists of migrants from other parts of Burma staying in Sanchaung Township to register them for advance voting ahead of the regime elections scheduled to begin on Dec. 28.
A Sanchaung resident claimed that most migrants were from Arakan State and Chinland. Yangon has 45 constituencies and the first phase of elections will be held in 12 of them. Sanchaung is located five miles (8 km) west of Yangon city.
A resident of Khayan Township told DVB that two teenagers from the area were abducted by unknown men in August. The kidnappers demanded 10 million MMK ($2,300 USD) each from their families. When they were unable to pay, the teenagers were then sold to the army, the resident claimed.
Khayan is located 40 miles (64 km) east of Yangon. The regime in Naypyidaw enforced its conscription law on Feb. 10, 2024. The National Unity Government (NUG) reported that the regime has forcefully conscripted 30,520 people up to Aug. 31.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,300 MMK)
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