According to the locals, on January 29, an unidentified armed group abducted a militia leader, a member, and three workers in Karupeik village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State.

The incident occurred when the group of five were working on the militia leader’s rubber farm near Karupeik village. The armed group arrived at the farm with two vehicles and kidnapped them.

The locals reported that the armed men seized a 39-volt revolver, six bullets, an AK-47, and 20 cartridges from the militia leader and his member. Additionally, the armed group seized a Honda Fit GD-1 type vehicle belonging to the militia leader.

The armed men then went to the house of the militia leader in Karupeik village and took two AK-47s and one M-16 belonging to the militia group. The seized weapons were kept at the house of the militia leader.

Later, the armed men abducted five villagers, including the militia leader, along the Karupeik-Weikalaung-Annkhe village-to-village road.

The militia leader of Karupeik village was also a former administrator of Karupeik village. He was elected as the MP representing the Union Solidarity and Development Party-USDP in Thanbyuzayat Township in the general election of 2020.