Whilst villagers abducted by the junta from two Pekon Township villages in Shan State were being forced to work as human shields, many had their vehicles and belongings stolen.

On 11 November 2024, junta troops entered the villages of Puchei and Konehson in Pekon Township, Shan State and abducted villagers to use them as human shields.

They were then taken and held inside a locked indoor sports stadium in Pinlaung Town, in the neighbouring township of Pinlaung, also in Shan State, before being taken away to work as human shields on the same day, 11 November.

The junta soldiers only allowed the villagers to bring clothes and a bedroll, no personal possessions or belongings were allowed.

In the last week of November, the majority of those held as human shields were allowed to return home. Upon arriving in their villages, they discovered that their cars and motorbikes, which they had stored in a monastery compound in Puchei Village had been stolen, according to a 45-year-old Pekon Township resident.

He said: “All motorbikes and cars of the villagers were left in the monastery compound when leaving the village. Upon returning, many vehicles were missing, and some of the remaining cars and tractors had been completely drained of fuel. Villagers don’t know who to turn to or what to do next.”

Also, according to relatives, some of the men abducted as human shields were not released and were instead forced into military training and deployed to the frontlines. Shan Herald is currently further investigating these claims.