The Myanmar Army troops have forced people arrested as human shields to wear military uniforms and used them in fighting as they clashed with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defense Forces (PDF) near Hmaw Bon village in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, locals reported.
A man close to the PDF told the KNG that the clash with PDF came after the regime troops made their way to Hmaw Bon through Kan Hsee village with civilians who they had abducted as human shields at around 5 am on 25 April.
“The fighting is a little far from the village. It broke out near the edge of the forest. The junta troops forced the civilians to put on military uniforms and walk in front of them. There would have been tragedy if the witnesses had not reported it,” he said.
There was continuous artillery fire from the regime side during the clash, but KIA and PDF did not respond with gunfire knowing there were arrested civilians in the junta column, recounted a man from Lone Khin village.
“We heard several rounds of artillery fire from 6 until 8 am,” he said.
KNG was stilly trying to confirm whether there were civilian and military casualties during the crossfire.
Reportedly, it was the junta column of about 100 troops which entered Hmaw Bon village on 21 April and arrested about 200 civilians. They held 150 of those arrested in Mali Zup custody and took another 50 people with them to Kan Hsee.
Then the junta troops forced the about 50 civilians to put on military uniform and made an advance back to Hmaw Bon village on 25 April, according to locals.
“There is nothing more despicable than to see the civilians that they had abducted to Kan Hsee and brought them back in military uniforms,” he said.
In Hpakant, the Myanmar Army had not only abducted hundreds of residents from Sabyit Khoo and Sharaw Hka villages this year and used them as human shields for their military columns on several occasions, according to locals.
The regime army continued to use the residents of Hmaw Bon village that they had arrested on 21 April as human shields, while most of the elderly and women remain detained in San Hkar prison.
Sent by KNG.