September 18, 2026 — m.CDM Domestic News
Hello and welcome. We will now bring you today’s m.CDM Domestic News.
Today’s headlines include:
1. Young men forcibly detained for military recruitment in Ye-U break out of detention and escape.
2. KIA says nearly 20 vessels from a military flotilla traveling from Mandalay toward Bhamo have been destroyed.
3. Malaysian Prime Minister faces strong criticism for inviting Myanmar military leader to discuss the Rohingya refugee issue.
4. U.S. lawmakers call for action after 25 new online scam compounds emerge along the Thai-Myanmar border despite the Myanmar military’s purported crackdown.
And now, the news in detail.
1. PDF Military Region No. 1 Marks Fifth Anniversary
m.CDM, September 17
A ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Military Region No. 1 of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), under the Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government (NUG), was held on September 17.
The ceremony included tributes to fallen resistance fighters, including the late former regional commander Lt. Gen. Rukhrang Hkawng Lum, as well as an oath-taking ceremony and the reading of commemorative messages.
In a message sent to the ceremony, the NUG Ministry of Defense said Military Region No. 1 had killed tens of thousands of military personnel during the past five years.
It also said the region, working alongside allied resistance forces, had captured towns and military bases and established extensive areas under resistance control.
Military Region No. 1 was established in 2021 under the leadership of KIA Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Hkawng Lum. The NUG has also posthumously awarded him the People’s Revolution Distinguished Service title.
NUG Acting President Duwa Lashi La also sent a message to the ceremony, urging resistance forces to prepare for future challenges by placing greater emphasis on rapidly evolving military technologies, including drone warfare.
He also urged resistance fighters to protect the lives, homes and property of civilians as if they were their own and to build a disciplined and exemplary armed force.
The NUG pledged to continue providing resources and funding needed for the revolution, while Military Region No. 1 vowed to remain united and continue fighting until military dictatorship is completely abolished.
⸻
2. KIA Says Nearly 20 Vessels from Military Flotilla Have Been Destroyed
m.CDM, September 17
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has officially announced that nearly 20 vessels belonging to a military flotilla traveling upriver from Mandalay toward Bhamo have been destroyed.
According to the KIA’s Information Department, KIA-led and allied forces destroyed nearly 20 vessels during the first half of September alone.
On the morning of September 16, three military vessels departed Shwegu for Bhamo. When they reached We Gyi village in Shwegu Township, KIA-led resistance forces attacked them, sinking one vessel and forcing the other two to retreat.
Similarly, seven vessels traveling downstream from Bhamo came under attack by KIA and allied forces near Sinkhan Bridge and Zinbon, resulting in four vessels being sunk.
Local sources said nearly 20 vessels—including military boats, barges, tugboats, speedboats and cargo vessels—have now been attacked and sunk between Shwegu and Bhamo.
On September 14, KIA and allied forces reportedly sank another military vessel traveling downstream from Bhamo in a drone attack. Military records also indicate that four vessels from the flotilla were destroyed between Shwegu and Bhamo on September 13.
The Myanmar military has been using vessels to transport food, ammunition and reinforcements from Mandalay to Bhamo, while KIA and allied forces have been conducting repeated interdiction attacks against the flotilla.
⸻
3. Young Men Forcibly Detained for Military Recruitment Escape in Ye-U
m.CDM, September 17
Young men who had allegedly been forcibly detained for military service in Ye-U, Shwebo District, Sagaing Region, broke out of detention and escaped, according to the Ye-U Township People’s Defense Organization (Pa Ka Pha).
The young men had been detained by the military at Basic Education High School No. 2 in Ye-U for military recruitment. They reportedly escaped from the detention facility at around 3 p.m. on September 16.
Twelve of those who escaped are currently being sheltered and protected, while others remain unaccounted for.
According to the Ye-U Pa Ka Pha, the escaped youths are now being cared for in an area under resistance control.
The Myanmar Defense and Security Institute (MDSI) has also reported that, amid continued demand for military personnel and battlefield casualties, the military has reopened some training facilities that had previously been closed because of local security conditions.
The military has begun its 28th round of conscription training this September, while reports of military recruitment summonses and forced recruitment continue in Yangon, Mandalay, Kyaukpadaung, Myingyan, Nyaung-U, Wundwin and other areas.
⸻
4. Reports of Underage Students and Other Youths Being Forcibly Recruited in Yangon and Mandalay
m.CDM, September 17
The military has reportedly detained young people, including underage students, for forced recruitment in South Dagon and Thaketa townships in Yangon.
At around 6 p.m. on September 15, police and local administrators reportedly entered homes on Gyo Phyu Lane in Ward 20 of South Dagon Township and forcibly detained approximately four young men.
Similarly, on September 13, three 15-year-old students were reportedly detained by plainclothes police on Thumana Road in Thaketa Township’s 3/Yanpyay Ward.
One of the students was reportedly handcuffed, while the other two escaped into nearby shops. After a member of the public contacted the authorities, the detained student was released several minutes later.
In Mandalay, approximately 50 young men who had allegedly been forcibly detained and held inside the Mandalay Palace compound for about a month were reportedly transported in two vehicles to military training facilities on the evening of September 16.
They were reportedly sent to Infantry Battalions 116 and 119 under the 33rd Light Infantry Division in Patheingyi Township for military training.
⸻
5. JFM Calls for Myanmar Military to Be Barred from ASEAN Regional Drone Workshop
m.CDM, September 17
Justice For Myanmar (JFM) has strongly objected to the possible participation of Myanmar’s military in an ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop on unmanned aerial systems (UAS), scheduled to take place in 2026 or 2027.
The workshop will be co-chaired by Australia, Singapore and the United States. JFM said it had learned that discussions were underway about inviting representatives of the Myanmar military.
The development comes as UN investigators have raised concerns about the Myanmar military’s increasing use of drones in attacks affecting civilians.
According to a UN report cited by JFM, indiscriminate air and drone attacks by the military killed 982 civilians, including 232 children, during 2025.
JFM also cited records from an independent monitoring group documenting more than 570 military drone attacks through July 2025, resulting in the deaths of at least 158 civilians.
JFM further said a nine-year-old child was killed in a military drone attack in Demoso Township, Karenni State, on September 16, and alleged that drones had also been used to deliver chemical agents in attacks in Mobye, southern Shan State.
JFM spokesperson Yadanar Maung argued that allowing the Myanmar military to participate in the workshop could provide it with technical knowledge that might subsequently be used in further attacks.
JFM noted that the United States and Australia had previously withdrawn from defense-related meetings involving the Myanmar military, while Singapore has publicly condemned actions by the military.
With Singapore due to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027, JFM urged the three co-chairs to prevent Myanmar military representatives from attending the workshop.
⸻
6. Malaysian Prime Minister Criticized Over Plan to Invite Myanmar Military Leader for Rohingya Talks
m.CDM, September 17
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on September 17 that Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing would be formally invited for talks concerning the repatriation of approximately 200,000 Rohingya refugees currently in Malaysia.
Anwar said Malaysia would seek a diplomatic solution to the repatriation issue and that Myanmar’s military authorities had agreed to accept approximately 5,000 Rohingya.
He said an initial group of around 1,500 Rohingya could be returned within the next two weeks and that Malaysia was prepared to cover the cost of the repatriation.
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Latheefa Koya strongly criticized Anwar over the proposed invitation, describing the move as shameful.
She also raised concerns about the safety of Rohingya refugees if they were returned to Myanmar, arguing that they would be sent back into the hands of those responsible for the persecution that caused them to flee.
Latheefa Koya further accused Anwar of political inconsistency, contrasting his opposition to Israel’s actions against Palestinians with his willingness to engage Myanmar’s military leadership over the Rohingya issue.
⸻
7. U.S. Lawmakers Seek Action as 25 New Scam Compounds Reportedly Emerge Along Thai-Myanmar Border
m.CDM, September 17
Two senior U.S. lawmakers have called on the Trump administration to take stronger action against online scam operations after reports that 25 new scam compounds have emerged along the Thai-Myanmar border despite the Myanmar military’s purported crackdown on such operations.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling for action.
The lawmakers requested investigations into 26 individuals and two entities allegedly linked to scam operations and asked the administration to consider sanctions within 180 days under relevant U.S. sanctions authorities.
Among those reportedly identified for investigation are a Myanmar Border Guard Force (BGF) major named Moe Thone and Fully Light Group of Companies Ltd., based in northern Shan State.
The lawmakers said approximately 400,000 people from more than 70 countries have been trafficked into scam compounds across Southeast Asia, including in Myanmar. They also alleged that governments and senior officials in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have failed to adequately address the criminal networks.
Although Myanmar authorities have publicized operations against major scam centers including Shwe Kokko and KK Park, the lawmakers said 25 new compounds have subsequently emerged along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
The new compounds reportedly use Starlink satellite internet services to conduct online fraud operations.
Reports also continue to allege that government officials, armed groups and political elites in Myanmar and Cambodia profit from, cooperate with or provide protection to scam networks.
The lawmakers also cited the U.S. State Department’s 2025 annual Trafficking in Persons Report concerning Myanmar and Cambodia.
They additionally referenced President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14390, issued in March, and called for stronger enforcement against human trafficking and online fraud operations that harm U.S. citizens.
⸻
8. U.S. Continues to List Myanmar as Major Opium-Growing and Synthetic Drug-Producing Country
m.CDM, September 17
The United States continues to identify Myanmar as a major center for opium cultivation and synthetic drug production, while saying the country has failed to meet its international counternarcotics obligations.
The assessment was included in the U.S. President’s counternarcotics determination for Fiscal Year 2027, released on September 15.
The Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2027 was formally submitted to the U.S. Congress.
The determination identifies 23 countries—including Myanmar, Afghanistan, China, India, Laos, Mexico and Thailand—as major drug-transit or major illicit drug-producing countries.
Among those countries, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar and Colombia were designated as having “failed demonstrably” to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.
Regarding Myanmar, the report said effective suppression of opium cultivation and synthetic drug production has not taken place under military rule, while the country remains a major source of opium and synthetic narcotics entering illicit international markets.
Although such a designation can affect certain forms of U.S. assistance, the U.S. President maintained a National Interest Waiver allowing programs supporting humanitarian assistance and democracy-related efforts benefiting the people of Myanmar to continue.
Analysts say the assessment reflects continuing U.S. concerns that the deterioration of the rule of law since the military takeover, together with the expansion of cross-border online scam networks and the illicit drug economy, poses challenges not only to Myanmar but also to regional and international security.
⸻
That concludes today’s edition of m.CDM Domestic News. The reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
For the latest news and updates, please subscribe to our channel.
Thank you for listening.
--
Hello and welcome. We will now bring you today’s m.CDM Domestic News.
Today’s headlines include:
1. Young men forcibly detained for military recruitment in Ye-U break out of detention and escape.
2. KIA says nearly 20 vessels from a military flotilla traveling from Mandalay toward Bhamo have been destroyed.
3. Malaysian Prime Minister faces strong criticism for inviting Myanmar military leader to discuss the Rohingya refugee issue.
4. U.S. lawmakers call for action after 25 new online scam compounds emerge along the Thai-Myanmar border despite the Myanmar military’s purported crackdown.
And now, the news in detail.
1. PDF Military Region No. 1 Marks Fifth Anniversary
m.CDM, September 17
A ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Military Region No. 1 of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), under the Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government (NUG), was held on September 17.
The ceremony included tributes to fallen resistance fighters, including the late former regional commander Lt. Gen. Rukhrang Hkawng Lum, as well as an oath-taking ceremony and the reading of commemorative messages.
In a message sent to the ceremony, the NUG Ministry of Defense said Military Region No. 1 had killed tens of thousands of military personnel during the past five years.
It also said the region, working alongside allied resistance forces, had captured towns and military bases and established extensive areas under resistance control.
Military Region No. 1 was established in 2021 under the leadership of KIA Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Hkawng Lum. The NUG has also posthumously awarded him the People’s Revolution Distinguished Service title.
NUG Acting President Duwa Lashi La also sent a message to the ceremony, urging resistance forces to prepare for future challenges by placing greater emphasis on rapidly evolving military technologies, including drone warfare.
He also urged resistance fighters to protect the lives, homes and property of civilians as if they were their own and to build a disciplined and exemplary armed force.
The NUG pledged to continue providing resources and funding needed for the revolution, while Military Region No. 1 vowed to remain united and continue fighting until military dictatorship is completely abolished.
⸻
2. KIA Says Nearly 20 Vessels from Military Flotilla Have Been Destroyed
m.CDM, September 17
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has officially announced that nearly 20 vessels belonging to a military flotilla traveling upriver from Mandalay toward Bhamo have been destroyed.
According to the KIA’s Information Department, KIA-led and allied forces destroyed nearly 20 vessels during the first half of September alone.
On the morning of September 16, three military vessels departed Shwegu for Bhamo. When they reached We Gyi village in Shwegu Township, KIA-led resistance forces attacked them, sinking one vessel and forcing the other two to retreat.
Similarly, seven vessels traveling downstream from Bhamo came under attack by KIA and allied forces near Sinkhan Bridge and Zinbon, resulting in four vessels being sunk.
Local sources said nearly 20 vessels—including military boats, barges, tugboats, speedboats and cargo vessels—have now been attacked and sunk between Shwegu and Bhamo.
On September 14, KIA and allied forces reportedly sank another military vessel traveling downstream from Bhamo in a drone attack. Military records also indicate that four vessels from the flotilla were destroyed between Shwegu and Bhamo on September 13.
The Myanmar military has been using vessels to transport food, ammunition and reinforcements from Mandalay to Bhamo, while KIA and allied forces have been conducting repeated interdiction attacks against the flotilla.
⸻
3. Young Men Forcibly Detained for Military Recruitment Escape in Ye-U
m.CDM, September 17
Young men who had allegedly been forcibly detained for military service in Ye-U, Shwebo District, Sagaing Region, broke out of detention and escaped, according to the Ye-U Township People’s Defense Organization (Pa Ka Pha).
The young men had been detained by the military at Basic Education High School No. 2 in Ye-U for military recruitment. They reportedly escaped from the detention facility at around 3 p.m. on September 16.
Twelve of those who escaped are currently being sheltered and protected, while others remain unaccounted for.
According to the Ye-U Pa Ka Pha, the escaped youths are now being cared for in an area under resistance control.
The Myanmar Defense and Security Institute (MDSI) has also reported that, amid continued demand for military personnel and battlefield casualties, the military has reopened some training facilities that had previously been closed because of local security conditions.
The military has begun its 28th round of conscription training this September, while reports of military recruitment summonses and forced recruitment continue in Yangon, Mandalay, Kyaukpadaung, Myingyan, Nyaung-U, Wundwin and other areas.
⸻
4. Reports of Underage Students and Other Youths Being Forcibly Recruited in Yangon and Mandalay
m.CDM, September 17
The military has reportedly detained young people, including underage students, for forced recruitment in South Dagon and Thaketa townships in Yangon.
At around 6 p.m. on September 15, police and local administrators reportedly entered homes on Gyo Phyu Lane in Ward 20 of South Dagon Township and forcibly detained approximately four young men.
Similarly, on September 13, three 15-year-old students were reportedly detained by plainclothes police on Thumana Road in Thaketa Township’s 3/Yanpyay Ward.
One of the students was reportedly handcuffed, while the other two escaped into nearby shops. After a member of the public contacted the authorities, the detained student was released several minutes later.
In Mandalay, approximately 50 young men who had allegedly been forcibly detained and held inside the Mandalay Palace compound for about a month were reportedly transported in two vehicles to military training facilities on the evening of September 16.
They were reportedly sent to Infantry Battalions 116 and 119 under the 33rd Light Infantry Division in Patheingyi Township for military training.
⸻
5. JFM Calls for Myanmar Military to Be Barred from ASEAN Regional Drone Workshop
m.CDM, September 17
Justice For Myanmar (JFM) has strongly objected to the possible participation of Myanmar’s military in an ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop on unmanned aerial systems (UAS), scheduled to take place in 2026 or 2027.
The workshop will be co-chaired by Australia, Singapore and the United States. JFM said it had learned that discussions were underway about inviting representatives of the Myanmar military.
The development comes as UN investigators have raised concerns about the Myanmar military’s increasing use of drones in attacks affecting civilians.
According to a UN report cited by JFM, indiscriminate air and drone attacks by the military killed 982 civilians, including 232 children, during 2025.
JFM also cited records from an independent monitoring group documenting more than 570 military drone attacks through July 2025, resulting in the deaths of at least 158 civilians.
JFM further said a nine-year-old child was killed in a military drone attack in Demoso Township, Karenni State, on September 16, and alleged that drones had also been used to deliver chemical agents in attacks in Mobye, southern Shan State.
JFM spokesperson Yadanar Maung argued that allowing the Myanmar military to participate in the workshop could provide it with technical knowledge that might subsequently be used in further attacks.
JFM noted that the United States and Australia had previously withdrawn from defense-related meetings involving the Myanmar military, while Singapore has publicly condemned actions by the military.
With Singapore due to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027, JFM urged the three co-chairs to prevent Myanmar military representatives from attending the workshop.
⸻
6. Malaysian Prime Minister Criticized Over Plan to Invite Myanmar Military Leader for Rohingya Talks
m.CDM, September 17
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on September 17 that Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing would be formally invited for talks concerning the repatriation of approximately 200,000 Rohingya refugees currently in Malaysia.
Anwar said Malaysia would seek a diplomatic solution to the repatriation issue and that Myanmar’s military authorities had agreed to accept approximately 5,000 Rohingya.
He said an initial group of around 1,500 Rohingya could be returned within the next two weeks and that Malaysia was prepared to cover the cost of the repatriation.
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Latheefa Koya strongly criticized Anwar over the proposed invitation, describing the move as shameful.
She also raised concerns about the safety of Rohingya refugees if they were returned to Myanmar, arguing that they would be sent back into the hands of those responsible for the persecution that caused them to flee.
Latheefa Koya further accused Anwar of political inconsistency, contrasting his opposition to Israel’s actions against Palestinians with his willingness to engage Myanmar’s military leadership over the Rohingya issue.
⸻
7. U.S. Lawmakers Seek Action as 25 New Scam Compounds Reportedly Emerge Along Thai-Myanmar Border
m.CDM, September 17
Two senior U.S. lawmakers have called on the Trump administration to take stronger action against online scam operations after reports that 25 new scam compounds have emerged along the Thai-Myanmar border despite the Myanmar military’s purported crackdown on such operations.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling for action.
The lawmakers requested investigations into 26 individuals and two entities allegedly linked to scam operations and asked the administration to consider sanctions within 180 days under relevant U.S. sanctions authorities.
Among those reportedly identified for investigation are a Myanmar Border Guard Force (BGF) major named Moe Thone and Fully Light Group of Companies Ltd., based in northern Shan State.
The lawmakers said approximately 400,000 people from more than 70 countries have been trafficked into scam compounds across Southeast Asia, including in Myanmar. They also alleged that governments and senior officials in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have failed to adequately address the criminal networks.
Although Myanmar authorities have publicized operations against major scam centers including Shwe Kokko and KK Park, the lawmakers said 25 new compounds have subsequently emerged along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
The new compounds reportedly use Starlink satellite internet services to conduct online fraud operations.
Reports also continue to allege that government officials, armed groups and political elites in Myanmar and Cambodia profit from, cooperate with or provide protection to scam networks.
The lawmakers also cited the U.S. State Department’s 2025 annual Trafficking in Persons Report concerning Myanmar and Cambodia.
They additionally referenced President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14390, issued in March, and called for stronger enforcement against human trafficking and online fraud operations that harm U.S. citizens.
⸻
8. U.S. Continues to List Myanmar as Major Opium-Growing and Synthetic Drug-Producing Country
m.CDM, September 17
The United States continues to identify Myanmar as a major center for opium cultivation and synthetic drug production, while saying the country has failed to meet its international counternarcotics obligations.
The assessment was included in the U.S. President’s counternarcotics determination for Fiscal Year 2027, released on September 15.
The Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2027 was formally submitted to the U.S. Congress.
The determination identifies 23 countries—including Myanmar, Afghanistan, China, India, Laos, Mexico and Thailand—as major drug-transit or major illicit drug-producing countries.
Among those countries, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar and Colombia were designated as having “failed demonstrably” to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.
Regarding Myanmar, the report said effective suppression of opium cultivation and synthetic drug production has not taken place under military rule, while the country remains a major source of opium and synthetic narcotics entering illicit international markets.
Although such a designation can affect certain forms of U.S. assistance, the U.S. President maintained a National Interest Waiver allowing programs supporting humanitarian assistance and democracy-related efforts benefiting the people of Myanmar to continue.
Analysts say the assessment reflects continuing U.S. concerns that the deterioration of the rule of law since the military takeover, together with the expansion of cross-border online scam networks and the illicit drug economy, poses challenges not only to Myanmar but also to regional and international security.
⸻
That concludes today’s edition of m.CDM Domestic News. The reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
For the latest news and updates, please subscribe to our channel.
Thank you for listening.
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