Around 150 out of the 200 individuals from Madaeyan (Hmawbon) village in Longhkin village tract of Hpakant Township in Kachin State, who were arrested to be used as human shields by the Military Council, are currently being held in detention at Mazwutyang Prison, locals said.

The Military Council troops launched a massive invasion on Madaeyan on April 21st, during which they forcibly took approximately 200 civilians from the village with the intention of using them as human shields, according to witnesses.

"As they departed for the Kanhsee side, they took around 50 of the captives with them, while the remaining 150 were detained in Mazwutyang Prison. They arrested these civilians with the intention of using them as human shields”, a resident of nearby Sankha village told the KNG.

According to local sources, women were also among those arrested by the Military Council, and as of 5:00 PM on April 23rd, none of them had been released.

A Karen Independence Army (KIA) official has condemned the use of innocent people as human shields and the act of setting fire to villages, calling them unethical and unacceptable.

"We strongly condemn the practice of arresting and oppressing innocent individuals for the purpose of using them as human shields”, the KIA official from Hpakant told the KNG.

The KIA official also issued a warning that if the Military Council continues to arbitrarily arrest innocent individuals in Hpakant, it may escalate the conflict and result in renewed fighting.

There are concerns among local residents that continued arbitrary arrests of innocent people by the Military Council in Hpakant may lead to renewed fighting in the area.

In addition, a shooting incident occurred at a gem trading site in Longhkin during the night of April 21st.

The Military Council conducted raids on Sapyit Khu and Sharaw Hka villages in Hpakant this year, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of locals. However, they were later released after a few days of detention.