‘One Rohingya from every household’: Myanmar junta formalises forced conscription in Rakhine State

Myanmar's military junta has officially mandated the forced conscription of Rohingya men in Rakhine State, implementing a system that requires communities around Sittwe to supply recruits on a rotating basis. This new order formalizes a practice that residents report has already led to thousands being forced into service.

Soldiers were observed entering the Kyauk Thar refugee camp in Kyaukphyu on the morning of February 27, 2024. These actions were reportedly in connection with military training, highlighting the junta's intensified efforts to bolster its ranks through compulsory service.

The formalization of conscription underscores the junta's tightening control and its strategy to integrate marginalized populations into its military apparatus, despite ongoing international condemnation and the precarious situation of the Rohingya community.