An armed group intercepted a Mandalar Min passenger vehicle near Yin Daung village on the Mudon-Thanbyuzayat road in Mon State, abducting the driver and conductor, according to sources close to the vehicle line.

The incident occurred on January 5 at around 5 PM. The passenger vehicle was traveling from Mudon to Thanbyuzayat when it was stopped by the armed group near Yin Daung village. Passengers were forced to disembark, and the driver and conductor were taken along with the vehicle to Kwan Hlar village, according to a source familiar with the situation.

The source stated, "The passengers were ordered off the vehicle, and the driver and conductor were taken with it toward Kwanhlar village. Since the vehicle had GPS tracking, it was later located near a cemetery in Kwanhlar village."

In the early hours of January 6, at around 1 AM, security forces launched an operation and successfully recovered the vehicle. It was later driven to the Mudon Township police station.

"The vehicle was retrieved, but the driver and conductor are still being held by the armed group. The group did not take passengers’ phones, wallets, or belongings, indicating that the Mandalar Min vehicle line was specifically targeted," the source added.

On January 6, the recovered vehicle delivered passengers' goods to the Mandalar Min station in Thanbyuzayat. The vehicle was carrying ten passengers, including eight heading to Thanbyuzayat and two who boarded during the route.

A passenger described the aftermath: "After the vehicle was taken, we didn’t know what to do. The road was deserted, so we walked toward Thanbyuzayat. Fortunately, our phones weren’t taken, and some of us called family members to pick us up. Others managed to flag down passing vehicles and returned to Thanbyuzayat. We later recovered our luggage from the Mandalar Min station."

As of January 7, there has been no contact with the driver or conductor, according to individuals associated with the Mandalar Min vehicle line.