All police personnel stationed at a police station on Maday Island in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State, have been arrested following a significant burglary at the station’s armory. The police station is strategically located near major oil and natural gas pipelines operated by China.

The incident occurred in the early hours of July 17, when Police Private Kyaw Nu, who was on guard duty fled with an arsenal of weapons, leaving behind only two revolver pistols that were in use by the officers at the station.

According to a local military and political analyst, all remaining police officers and personnel at the station have since been transferred to the Kyaukphyu Township police station and are currently being detained there by the junta.

“The following day, the newly appointed tactical operation commander arrived on Maday Island with about 70 troops. On the evening of July 20, junta forces detained all the policemen on duty at the Maday Island Police Station and transported them to the Kyaukphyu Police Station”, he said.

The stolen armory inventory includes eight G-3 rifles, one G-4 rifle, one MA-94 submachine gun, over three thousand rounds of ammunition, and two grenades.

The whereabouts of Police Private Kyaw Nu, who escaped with a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition, remain unknown. There is considerable speculation that he may have defected to the Arakha Army (AA).

Junta troops continue to be stationed on Maday Island, conducting an extensive and urgent search for Kyaw Nu.

At the time of the burglary, the Maday Island police station had a total of 12 personnel, including two officers, and was primarily responsible for securing the nearby Chinese pipelines.