Over 200 military commission troops are conducting operations in northern Ywangan Township, Shan State, reportedly forcing local villagers to serve as guides and human shields.

Locals in the Ta Pin Pyaw village tract reported that on September 21, ten villagers were arrested by the troops. Only three have been released, while seven remain missing.

“They were taken in separate groups, along with people from surrounding villages. The military forces are forcing them to clear paths and perform odd jobs,” a local man told SHAN.

The presence of troops in the hills and forests of northern Ywangan has left villagers fearful of visiting their farms, limiting them to tending gardens near their homes. Residents also say the military is confiscating vehicles, taking two cars per village on a rotating basis, often leaving them damaged.

“They collected a list of all cars in the six nearby villages. They took two cars from each village and didn’t return them. Some of the cars are completely wrecked,” a local woman said.

Those arrested from northern villages are reportedly being held at a monastery where military troops are stationed. On September 14, over 200 troops entered Ah Lel Chaung village, detaining eight men and two women; the women were released two days later.

The military council continues daily operations in northern Ywangan, conducting searches for resistance groups while coercing villagers into labour and forcing them to guide troop movements.