The Burma Army (BA) abducted a couple on their way to their farm in Pekon Township and forced them to lead their soldiers and walk in front of a battalion in southern Shan State, according to the spokesperson for Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), a civilian group fighting with the military.

Maung Gyi and his wife Win Kyi from Shwe Pyi Aye village were abducted by Tatmadaw troops in Kong Sone village tract at 8:30 am on Saturday, September 4.

”It is unacceptable for the BA to take the villagers hostage,” said the KNDF spokesperson, vowing to take revenge on the Army. He said it was common for BA to use civilians as human shields and beat them up.

The KNDF and Karenni Army have clashed twice this month with the Tatmadaw in Pekon Township, with the military shelling villages with artillery.

At least two Tatmadaw soldiers were injured in the fighting near Hkawng Ei between 3 pm and 5 pm on September 1.

Fighting continued the next morning as well. The BA shelled the village for three days.

According to Karenni Civil Society Network, 82 civilians have been killed, 107 injured and 170 arrested in southern Shan and Karenni states since the February 1 coup.

From August 16- 29, BA’s offensives displaced 6,000 villagers, while over 120,00 people have been displaced since the military took power.

Aid groups are trying to bring vital supplies to villagers affected by the conflict, but the military sometimes stops them and burns the food and medicine.