A group of armed men abducted 3 National League for Democracy (NLD) party members in Taunggup in Rakhine State at around 10 am on October 14.

They were candidate Min Aung, who is running for a seat in the Rakhine State parliament, candidate Ni Ni May Myint who is running for lower house seat and candidate Chit Chit Chaw who is running for upper house seat. The news was confirmed by the chairman of Taunggup Township NLD party Tin Thein Aung.

“While they were campaigning at the island villages, they stopped at the Phaung Kha village to have lunch. They were abducted by ten armed men but they didn’t say which group they belonged to,” said Tin Thein Aung.

According to the investigation made by the military, three NLD party candidates were abducted by the AA (Arakan Army) and they were taken by boat by these armed men.

In May this year, AA also threatened N:D party Bu Shwe Maw village administrator and attempted to abduct him. So, he had to flee safety and hid there. Besides, AA also detained chairman of prevention  of COVID-19 who is not a NLD party member. Likewise, AA arrested Butheedaung Township NLD party chairman Ye Thein and he was killed while he was detained. But, some of the military officials confirmed that he was killed by AA.