The Military Council’s forces have detained 59 civilians for more than three days, summoning them to return to their village after they sought safety in the jungle to escape the war in Hsihseng Township, which is part of the Pa-O Self-administered Zone.

Khun Rain Yan, the spokesperson of Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), an armed group fighting the Military Council and the Pa-O People’s Militia Force (PMF), he said soldiers under the junta threatened to burn all their houses if they refused to return to Yay Phyu. He said they are being detained in a hall in the village, with half of them being women aged 40 and above.

“We are really concerned because the Military Council has already committed mass killing across the country,” he said, adding that the regime’s forces intends to use them human shields.

Before this, the junta’s forces had abducted over 30 civilians mostly in May, accusing them of aiding the resistance in the township, since the conflict began in southern Shan State on January 23, said a member of Pa-O Youth Organisation.

Nine people, including some women, were detained in Yay Phyu on May 6, the man said. The PMF reportedly murdered 50-year-old George Lawng (also called Phyu Sue) from Kayan Lay after interrogating him near Pan Tai on June 2.

In Hsihseng town, where the Pa-O resistance was battling the regime just a few months ago, it is quiet. However, junta soldiers are still abducting civilians, even though they were ordered to return, remarked a man from the town.

“Even though we can return to Hsihseng, we have no guarantee of security in the town.”

He said some people have also been injured from stepping on concealed landmines.

The PNLA said that sometimes the regime soldiers will arrest civilians just to extort money from them.