Junta-appointed administrators in Hkamti Township, Sagaing Region have been attempting to detain 50 youths to fill their fourth conscription quota, since the beginning of August 2024.

A Hkamti resident said: "According to the district administrator's plan, the goal is to apprehend 50 individuals from Hkamti Township. I’ve heard that over 20 people have already been apprehended."

Of those 20, apparently three are women.

To apprehend the required number of conscripts the administrators have been checking overnight guest lists and arresting people not strictly following the guest list law.

They have also been trawling locations where youths might congregate, including bars and gambling dens, to find suitable people to abduct for conscription. They are also tracking down anyone with an ongoing criminal case being brought against them.

Two inhabitants of Lahe Township who went to the Hkamti Township administration office to obtain travel documents were also detained for conscription on 15 August, according to relatives of the two detained.

One close relative said: “They went to request a travel permit to go work in a gold mine, as it was difficult to make a living. Instead of providing the permit, they were kept waiting and then taken away by junta soldiers. When their brother went to check at the township administration office, both of them had been taken. All that was left were their motorcycle and raincoats. When he asked at the township office, they did not give a clear answer.”

After conscription was brought back into force on 10 February 2024, a meeting about military conscription was held at the District General Administration Office Conference Hall in Hkamti Town.

For the first conscription quota, 20 people were sent to join the army from  Hkamti Town. These included volunteers and conscripts selected by lottery.