Myanmar junta arrests 237 in Mandalay as it intensifies under the military service law

In January 2025, Myanmar’s military junta arrested 237 people in Mandalay, including six women, according to an official from the Mandalay Strike Group. The detainees, primarily in their 20s and 30s, were taken from various townships, with Maha Aungmye reporting the highest number of arrests at 46.

“The junta threatened those who fled and disobeyed orders at gunpoint. They conducted nighttime raids under the pretext of overnight guest checks, beating and arresting people,” a Mandalay Strike Group official said.