The junta will soon begin conscripting women to serve in the army in Hopong Township, southern Shan State, according to reports.

Since the last week of July, the junta has been sending ward administrators to issue warnings to women in Hopong Township whose name appears on the conscription list, according to a Hopong Township resident who spoke to the SHAN.

He said: “The Military Council has already issued warnings that the women will be recruited in rotation. The names of women who have to do military service have already been listed. The women are afraid and are evading it [being conscripted].”

Another Hopong resident said: ” My niece hasn’t been able to go to school since the coup. She’s at an age where there are concerns, and we were very worried when the ward administrator issued these warnings.”

According to residents this is the fourth round of conscription in Hopong Township. In some other townships women were already conscripted in the third round of conscriptions.

The junta announced that there would be four national rounds of conscription with 5,000 people conscripted each round, meaning that 20,000 Myanmar youths will be conscripted into the junta army every year, if conscription goes to plan.