Residents of Yawnghwe (Nyaungshwe) Township in southern Shan State say junta authorities have been conducting door-to-door guest list inspections and arresting non-local residents, fueling fears that some detainees may be used as forced military recruits.

According to local sources, a married couple in their 30s from Nangpan sub-township in the Inle region of Yawnghwe Township was arrested on May 21 while staying at an accommodation in Yawnghwe.

An acquaintance of the couple told SHAN that their whereabouts remained unknown as of May 26.

Residents say authorities have warned that anyone staying overnight in Yawnghwe or nearby villages must first report their presence to local administrators.

“They are conducting guest list checks and arresting people who are not local residents,” a source close to the community told SHAN. “Even a school teacher and her husband from Nangpang were arrested, and there is still no news about them. Some people close to village administrators say they may already have been taken away as substitutes for military service. People are becoming very cautious about traveling now.”

The reports come amid heightened tensions and tighter security measures across the Inle region, which is currently controlled by the Military Commission and the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militia.

Residents say both groups are closely monitoring movement between villages, while fears of renewed fighting persist along the Shan-Kayah border. Locals report regularly hearing gunfire and artillery fire at night from nearby areas.

“We can hear gunfire and shelling at night, so people are constantly anxious,” a woman from the Inle region told SHAN. “After experiencing fighting before, we are always afraid that conflict could break out again. People are especially nervous when PNO troops enter villages on patrol. Sometimes they take villagers as guides and release them only after several days.”

According to residents, Military Commission troops and PNO forces have issued strict instructions requiring visitors and overnight guests to report to local authorities in advance. Locals said those who fail to comply risk arrest or legal action.

Residents noted that similar guest list inspections were carried out across Nyaungshwe town and surrounding Inle villages during the second week of March, as authorities intensified monitoring amid ongoing military tensions and conscription efforts.