Junta navy seizes cargo boat, detains 13 traders in Ramree Twsp

By Admin 10 Jun 2026

DMG Newsroom

10 June 2026, Ramree

The Myanmar military junta's navy has seized a civilian cargo boat carrying food supplies and detained 13 traders in Ramree Township, Arakan State, according to local residents.

The vessel, loaded with commercial goods, departed from Kyauktaw Township before being intercepted by junta naval forces near Minkyaung Creek in Ramree Township at around 1 p.m. on June 8.

"The passengers on board are all local merchants," a female resident of Ramree told DMG. "There are 13 people in total, and the boat was carrying a large quantity of cooking oil and other food items. The naval forces entered deep into the area and seized the boat near the Minkyaung Creek bridge."

The boat belongs to an operator from Ramree Township. According to local sources, junta forces towed the vessel to the military-controlled section of the Thanzit River in Kyaukphyu Township. The 13 traders remain in military custody, and their situation is still being monitored.

The incident came a day after junta naval forces opened fire on a motorboat from Ann Township travelling on the Thanzit River near the mouth of Minkyaung Creek on June 7, seriously injuring two civilian men.

The waterway connecting Minkyaung Creek in Ramree Township and the Thanzit River in Kyaukphyu Township is located about two miles from the strategically important Taung Maw Gyi naval station, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks.

"Civilians and traders had been able to travel along this route safely since the battle for Ramree Town ended," a resident of Kyaukphyu Township said. "The regime had previously allowed civilian boats to use the waterway. But following these recent shootings and arrests, traders will no longer feel safe travelling through the area. This will seriously affect transportation and the flow of goods."

The Minkyaung Creek area has been under the control of the Arakan Army (AA) since resistance forces captured Ramree Town earlier this year. Residents said junta warships attempting to enter the area have repeatedly come under attack.

Amid ongoing fighting in neighbouring Kyaukphyu Township, junta forces have deployed warships and speed boats in an apparent effort to regain control of waterways around Minkyaung Creek.

Local residents warned that increasing restrictions on river transport could have serious consequences for communities that rely on the waterway for travel and trade.