"Junta recruiting militia members to guard Letpadaung copper mining project, resistance sources say" 26 August 2023

Resistance forces detained 14 members of the military-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia on Thursday as the men were en route to the Letpadaung copper mine in Sagaing Region’s Salingyi Township, where they said they would be stationed on a security detail...

According to the resistance group’s information officer Htet Naing, most of those detained on Thursday were from Thabaung, and in their 20s and 30s. 

When asked why they were travelling to the Letpadaung site, they reportedly said that they were told they would be guarding the mine, which is a joint venture between China’s Wanbao Mining Ltd. company and the Myanmar military-run Myanma Economic Holdings, Ltd.  

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The captives have since been transferred to the People’s Security Team under the home affairs ministry of the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG). 

Also on Thursday, a 20-year-old policeman who had worked as a security guard at the Letpadaung copper mining project for nearly a year surrendered to another area resistance group, Thaman Kyar...

He confirmed that regular trainings had been taking place on-site at Letpadaung, with the military teaching militiamen and police how to operate heavy weaponry...The policemen described the junta as “actively recruiting” Pyu Saw Htee members to serve on Wanbao’s security team. ..

Although Wanbao announced in May of last year that the Letpadaung project had been suspended since the February 2021 coup, residents have said that operations appear to be resuming. 

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More than 40 people living near the mining area in Wet Hmay village were forced from their homes this month after the military occupied and fenced off their community, ordering them to leave.

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According to an August 10 statement from the Salingyi Township Public Administration Team—which operates under the NUG—more than 400 homes in 13 villages in Salingyi have been burnt down in junta arson attacks, and 17 civilians killed by the troops stationed at the Wanbao site.