On the early morning of April 18th, at approximately 4:00 AM, troops belonging to the Military Council abducted over 30 civilians residing in Hseng Hpa Yar village located in Kan Mhaw Zut village tract along the Myitkyina-Hpakant Road in Kachin State. The purpose of the abduction was to use these innocent individuals as human shields, according to locals.

Initially, the Military Council forcibly arrested nearly 50 individuals, but they subsequently released mothers of children and some elderly persons. According to a villager who spoke with the Myitkyina News Journal, the majority of those who remain detained are women.

“The soldiers forcefully entered nearly every home in the village, breaking down doors and threatening residents with gunfire before taking them away. Only mothers of children and elderly women were allowed to return when they reached the edge of the village, while all able-bodied adults were taken along with them”, the source said.

After the arrest of the villagers, around 9:00 AM, residents reported hearing gunshots emanating from the direction of Hseng Hpa Yar village.

When a 50-strong Military Council column raided Hseng Hpa Yar village and began arresting residents house by house, some individuals fled to nearby villages, according to a woman who managed to escape.

"They began with the houses farthest from the village center and proceeded to search almost every house, arresting the villagers. I too had to flee early in the morning, and as a result, I haven't had anything to eat yet”, she said.

The Military Council troops who apprehended the villagers as human shields are currently stationed at Hkunsaiyang village in the upper part of Hseng Hpa Yar. Moreover, additional troops are expected to reinforce them soon, villagers noted.