Fleeing junta commander, soldiers use political prisoners as human shields

By Admin 17 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
17 December 2024, Taungup

Brig-Gen Kaung Myat, commander of the Myanmar regime's No. 5 Military Operations Command (MOC) in Taungup, Arakan State, and about 20 junta soldiers have reportedly fled the battlefield using political prisoners as human shields.

The junta commander and soldiers abandoned the No. 5 Military Operations Command (MOC) in Taungup using the cover of about 30 political prisoners who were charged under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act on suspicion of having ties to the Arakkha Army (AA).

"The junta commander and soldiers fled No. 5 Military Operations Command (MOC) in Taungup and abducted dozens of political prisoners who were charged under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act. They reportedly fled to safety through Kyauktaga Village near the Arakan mountain range," said a source close to the AA.

Political prisoners held at the Myoma Police Station were transferred to the No. 5 Military Operations Command (MOC) after the AA began the battle for control of Taungup in late October.

The AA continued to attack No. 5 Military Operations Command after seizing Taungup on November 24. In the first week of December, Brig-Gen Kaung Myat and his team escaped, taking political prisoners as human shields.

"Some political prisoners were killed during the battle for control of the No. 5 Military Operations Command. Some political prisoners were arrested to be used as human shields. I don't know whether one of my friends who is among the political prisoners taken by the junta commander and his soldiers was killed or not," said a source.

The AA took full control of Taungup after seizing the No. 5 Military Operations Command on December 14 and fleeing junta soldiers are being hunted down by the AA fighters, said U Khaing Thukha, spokesperson for the ethnic armed group.