The Burma army have arrested the Inn-Ma village headman and his wife. The arrest occurred during a clash between the Mandalay People’s Defense Force (Mandalay PDF) and the Burma army near Inn-Ma village in Nawnghkio Township in Kyaukme District of northern Shan State. The couple were beaten by the Burma army soldiers while they were being arrested, according to local witnesses.

.

“A military column of junta soldiers entered our village and then the soldiers arrested the headman and his wife. They have been detained for a week already, we haven’t heard from them. The soldiers beat them while arresting them,” a Inn-Ma resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told SHAN.

The Inn-Ma resident said that they do not know the reason why soldiers arrested the village headman and his wife, or where they are being detained.

Local people said that even though there is currently no fighting happening between the Mandalay PDF and Burma army in the area, military tensions continue to rise in that area of Nawnghkio Township.

“Even though there is no clash on the ground, military standoff remains high between them in the area. The junta continues to block roads in the area. Local people are unable to travel freely. IDPs are unable to return to their villages,” the Inn-Ma resident told SHAN.

Between 5 April and 10 April, the Mandalay PDF had multiple clashes with the Burma army in Nawnghkio Township. Local people said that at least five civilians, including children, were wounded during the fighting, and at least 20 civilian houses were damaged. Due to these intense battles, more than 1,000 local people from Kon Gyi, Hokhe, Kon Nyaung, Yay Oo Kyukaw, Ner Nwet, Taw Moon, Inn-Ma Hokho, Kalar, and Loi Nguen villages have fled and taken shelter in safer places.

Many IDPs have taken shelter in Ohmm Thee, Lang Khwe and Bang Bwe Buddhist monasteries in Nawnghkio Township. The IDPs are afraid to return to their homes in case fighting breaks outs again.

During fighting between the Mandalay PDF and Burma army in Nawnghkio Township in February, the Burma army shot dead a civilian man.