Military council soldiers has been threatening people who go out after 6pm in Lashio town in Shan State with gunfire, according to residents of Lashio.
Residents say over the past week the military council announced with loudspeakers that people cannot go out in the streets after 6pm in Lashio.
A man from Lashio said, “In the afternoon, they drive around in their cars and warn people not to go out after 6pm. They warned that they will take action against those who go out. That’s what they say, but in reality they just shoot you. Now it’s getting worse now.”
On the evening of 10 March, junta soldiers shot at a man who went out in Lasio’s Ward 5 at 6 pm. The man was hit in his leg, the man added.
“I heard that a soldier fired shots and hit a man in the leg. I can’t say for sure through. People don’t dare go out at night,” the man said.
The Northeastern Regional Command announced martial law on Lashio Township on 15 November 2023, warning that anyone who does not follow the 6 pm-6 am curfew will be arrested and prosecuted.
In the more than two months following the imposition of martial law, the military council soldiers have shot dead at least six people, according to locals.
In recent days, the military council has also stepped up checks, interrogations and phone checks on young people in Lashio, according to a 25-year-old man who encountered it himself.
“The checks have been tightened up recently. They check motorcycles and phones. Then they interrogated me forcibly, and detained me for about half an hour,” he said.
In addition to military council troops, ethnic armed groups such as the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) are also active in Lashio Township.
Sent by Shan News.
