The Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group, abducted two staff from the Mytel Company  on December 23, according to the statement by the Commander-in-Chief’s Office on December 27.

The Sittwe-based Mytel lost contact with U Zaw Tun Aung, Director of Communications from Mytel Company and Driver U Saw Thein Maung, near Kyauktaw Township while they were doing field works in Rakhine State on the morning of December 23, the statement says.

According to the investigation, the duo left Sittwe on December 17 for Ann, Thandwe and Minbya Townships. On December 22, they made a night stay in Minbya Township. The company lost contact with them when they proceeded to Kyauktaw Township on December 23. According to locals, the AA abducted them near Taungpauk village in Kyauktaw Township. 

On December 11, the AA abducted Chair of Buthidaung Township National League for Democracy U Ye Thein who organized the ceremony to support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who countered the lawsuit at International Court of Justice (ICJ). According to the AA’s statement on December 25, U Ye Thein died due to the heavy shelling during the fight between the Tatmadaw and the AA. 

The Tatmadaw was not linked to the heavy shelling. U Ye Min Thein died soon during the AA’s interrogation, said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Secretary of Tatmadaw True News Information Team.