An unidentified group of armed men approached traditional quarry workers in Bawmar village in Mogok Township of Mandalay Region on January 13 and threatened them and demanded money, according to a local resident.

Three to five of the people came in civilian clothes. The locals were scared because armed men had come to ask for money and told them they will come again to collect the remaining money.

This is the first time that such collection money has taken place in Bawmar village in Mogok Township and it is a place where traditional mining is practiced for a living.

Kyaw Win, owner of the SP bakery in Mogok, was allegedly abducted by the Ta'ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA) on December 4 and has not been released to date.