Around 200 Myanmar junta troops reportedly torched a Budalin Township village in Sagaing Region on Wednesday and seized approximately 20 villagers as human shields, according to a member of Budalin People’s Defense Force.
“The Kyauk Oh Myauk villagers are being forced to move around with the troops to other villages,” he said.
Resistance groups from Budalin, Depayin and Kani townships are monitoring the junta force, the fighter said.
The junta troops have been raiding villages along the Monywa-Budalin road since October 4 following a resistance attack that defeated a regime force near Budalin town on September 30.
Resistance groups, including 96 Soldiers, ambushed around 120 junta troops raiding villages between Sipaw and Kywe Thay Chaung villages in Budalin.
The troops were reinforcements from the Northwestern Command sent to Kutaw village, where the police station was attacked on September 20.
The reinforcements, who included conscripts, killed a Kywe Thay Chaung villager, an elderly Katoe villager and two anti-regime fighters in Yatkyay village, according to resistance groups.
Resistance groups said they killed 35 junta troops and detained 43 others alive.
Numerous Budalin, Depayin and Kani civilians have left their homes to avoid junta arson attacks, with many hiding in jungles.
