SAGAING DIVISION – It was reportedly known from locals that an inhumane junta army was launching attacks toward the villages in Chaung-U Township using civilians as human shields.
The military column with more than 100 soldiers from Chaung-U Myoma police station reportedly used the innocent civilians as human shields while advancing to the villages on December 14.
“Junta thugs seized civilians from Chaung-U roads and Khinmon on the 12 and 13 of December. The drivers were also being abducted. Those people were kept at the Chaung-U police station. Today, when they launched attacks, they forced the abductees to act as human shields in front of the column,” said a member of the Local Defence Force.
The number of civilians who were captured by the fascist council forces is unknown and estimated to be more than 50 people.The residents from villages in Chaung-U Township such as Shan Htoo, Nyaungpinte, Paukpin, and Taunghpila have been fleeing due to the junta army’s advancing in the region.
In addition to attacks, the junta forces also torched Nyaungpinte Village on the night of December 14, and there was a huge amount of damage, locals reported. The exact number of houses burned down in the junta’s arson attack is not yet known.