As the violence expanded to the city area of Taungup Town, all prisoners from the police station were reportedly transferred to the 5th Military Operations Command (MOC-5) to serve as human shields.
A military source in Taungup Town told Narinjara News that approximately 50 prisoners who were being held at the Taungup police station were moved to MOC-5 on November 17.
"It's been about three days. When the conflict reached the city, they moved the prisoners to the MOC-5 to be used as human shields, which is their typical procedure. The prisoners were driven in a car, with only soldiers from MOC-5 managing the transportation," the source stated.
A woman living in the area was worried about what would happen to the prisoners, fearing they might be taken hostage if the conflict escalated.
“We sympathize. While they may not be our relatives, the detainees are part of our community, and we fear for their safety. At the moment, we are also running away from the conflict, making it hard for us to make a living. We need to escape in order to stay alive, and we don't have anything to take with us," she stated.
Although the violence in Taungup has decreased, the military regime is still launching artillery shells and conducting airstrikes.
In Taungup Town, MOC-5, the 346th Light Infantry Battalion, and the 566th Battalion are reportedly under intense assault by the Arakan Army (AA).
