Two villagers remain in military custody after being detained by junta troops following a clash with the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in Pong Woe village tract, Kyaukme Township, according to local sources.

The detentions followed a skirmish on March 10 between military regime forces and SSPP/SSA troops in the Pong Woe area. After the fighting, soldiers entered the village and ordered residents to gather at a local monastery, where they were interrogated.

While several detainees have since been released, residents say two men remain in custody at Kyaukme Police Station.

“Four people were released the other day, but two are still being held at the Kyaukme station. I heard that local organizations are trying to negotiate so they are not formally charged. In the village, everyone is too afraid to step outside for fear of arrest,” a local woman from Kyaukme told SHAN.

According to a statement issued by SSPP Info on March 12, the troops involved were from Light Infantry Battalion 506, based in Namlan. The statement said soldiers forced villagers, along with their private vehicles, to assemble at the monastery while conducting house-to-house searches.

The SSPP statement also alleged that detainees were subjected to mistreatment during interrogation, including beatings. It further claimed that some villagers were slashed with knives.

Military troops remain deployed in Pong Woe village tract, with authorities describing their presence as part of a “clearance operation” targeting online scam centers.

However, residents say the continued military presence has heightened fear in the community, with concerns that further clashes could erupt at any time.