It is reported that the military council troops that patrolled in Paungde Township of Bago Region are using the villagers as human shields.
“On May 7, at around 9:00 a.m., the military column which patrolled from the side of Paukkhaung township asked as human shields, the villagers of Thet Pauk village and Thet Paut San village in Paungde area, to carry goods in 8 carts in front of the military column,” a displaced person said.
“The column is coming up from Paukkhaung. The villagers of Thet Paut San village were asked to drive carts in front of the column. They carried the goods. The column followed the cart on foot,” said a displaced person.
It is reported that 8 soldiers who were far from the front wagons in the column fell when the PDF forces attacked.
“We mined the column. About 8 people fell down. We do not know whether they were killed or not. The soldiers came on foot behind the wagon in a row. We mined them and then they (the soldiers) set fire to the tent next to column,” he said.
To this day, local PDF groups have not announced which group mined the soldiers. Today, this column is still in the area of Thet Pauk village and the residents are fleeing from the war.
Editor-ML