Sagaing Division, according to a press release by the Kyun Hla-Kantbalu activists’ group, the army arrested five (5) residents of Out-te village in Kantablu township for using as human shields on December 27 at 8:45am. It said abduction was committed by the 363rd Army battalion.
Those who were arrested were sugarcane processing workers and when sugarcane season was off, they were working as farm workers and harvesting a sesame field at the time of their arrest.
It is reported that the current military column has captured these residents as human shields and entered to the north-east of Wethain village towards Chapthin village, and the local residents are fleeing. In addition, the Kyun Hla-Kantbalu Activists Group hasissued a warning that the Military Council Army Kha.Ma .Ya (368) and Pyu Saw Htee groups were firing heavy artillery weapons and burning down homes.
