Three men from Ywangan Township in southern Shan State have returned home after being conscripted into the military’s first intake under the Military Service Law, while two others from their group were killed in combat, according to local sources.

The men were among five residents selected through a village lottery system in March 2024, shortly after the law was enacted on Feb. 10, 2024. The law has since enabled large-scale recruitment through a combination of lotteries, forced enlistment, and arrests.

For families, the return of the three men has brought relief, but also deep concern over their physical and psychological condition.

“Out of the five of us from Ywangan, only three were able to return home. Two died on the front lines. I never thought I would see my family again. Being home now feels like a dream,” one returnee told SHAN.

The returnee, who said he was 24 when conscripted, described a rapid deployment process. After one month of training in Hopong and two months at a base in Bahtoo, he was sent to active combat in Rakhine State.

“Once we reached Rakhine, we were sent straight to the front. I was terrified because I had no experience,” he said. “I saw a young man from Bago die right in front of me. I felt completely broken.”

He said his return was only possible through the intervention of a commanding officer, though details remain unclear.

While families welcomed the return of their relatives, they said the men are struggling with severe trauma after their time in conflict zones.

“We had already accepted that we might never see him again,” said a female relative of one returnee. “We are happy he is back, but they are not the same. They wake up crying at night, they are easily frightened, and they cannot sleep properly. We have to stay with them all the time.”

Families say they now face the challenge of supporting survivors dealing with long-term psychological distress.

Relatives are calling for an end to forced recruitment, saying many families continue to lose sons to the conflict.

“I do not want any more young people taken. Many in his group never returned home. Their families are left behind in grief,” the woman said.

Despite recent political changes, including Min Aung Hlaing’s transition to a civilian role, returnees expressed little confidence that conditions will improve.

“I do not expect much to change. I just want those who have completed their service to be allowed to go home. The military should keep its promises,” the returnee said.

Under the Military Service Law, recruitment has reportedly reached Batch 21, with increasing reports of forced recruitment and arrests to meet quotas.

Local sources say many young people have fled abroad to avoid conscription, contributing to labor shortages and social disruption in communities such as Ywangan.

Military forces remain active in parts of the township, including Yane Village Tract and Kyauk Ngat Village Tract, where operations continue.

In a separate case reported in August 2025, a 31-year-old man from Taunggyi died in combat just months after completing training under the same recruitment system.

As the policy continues, families say the human cost is becoming increasingly visible — not only in lives lost, but in the lasting trauma carried by those who return.