SAA event in Chaung U area, Myanmar on Wed 19th August 2026

Mizzima: Two members of the 5+1 force from Monywa District and four locals, including the village priest, were arrested in a village in Chaung U Township, Sagaing Region, according to local residents and nearby revolutionary forces.

The villagers said that they were arrested at around 10pm on August 18. The rebels and a local (former rebel member) were released early on August 19, but the village abbot and two locals are still being held.

Those arrested were the company commander and platoon commander of Monywa District 5+1, who were arrested after entering the area with gunfire and claiming to be acting on district orders.

“They told the people to lie down, saying they would shoot anyone who came near them. One of the women whose phones were stolen also had ringing in her ears and could not hear anything (as of 3 am on August 19). The soldiers have regained contact,” said a source for Mizzima.

Mizzima's sources said the arrestees were members of the Chaung U Township Palapa. Although the Chaung U Township Palapa has been contacted via social media regarding the incident, there has been no response so far.

It is also known that 400,000 kyats, a driver's license, registration, four phones, and a laptop were confiscated during the arrest. A member of the nearby revolutionary forces told Mizzima that although the four phones have been returned, the laptop, worth around 1.5 million kyats, has not been returned.

“The 5+1 comrades in Monywa District immediately rushed to the scene after hearing the news and released him around 1 a.m. that night. The former comrade (one of the locals) released him in the morning. The public has not heard of his release. They have not given a statement or explanation as to why they arrested him,” said a local.

The local said that although the locals went to the Chaung Oo Palapa organization to ask about the incident, they denied that they were the ones who arrested them. However, the local said that the released revolutionary comrades were released from the Chaung Oo Palapa office.

"There were some people pushing and shoving, and an elderly woman with a heart condition told me to calm down, but she was still quite scared because she was shot," the local resident said.

According to people close to the detainees, they were also threatened with death during their arrest.

The village headman and three other villagers have not been released to date, and there has been no negotiation or resolution between the rebel forces. The name of the village where the incident took place is not being disclosed for security reasons.