Regime Abducts Trapped Civilians In Mobye

By Network Media Group
Thursday, September 22, 2022

The Burma Army (BA) has reportedly abducted 100 civilians from Settaw Yar and Mwe Taw Buddhist monasteries in Mobye to use as human shields during heavy clashes with resistance groups in the town in southern Shan State.

At the same time,the junta indiscriminately fired 120mm Multi Launch Rocket System (MSR) at Mobye, located in Pekon Township, destroying people’s houses on Monday 19 September. And during fighting it sent two columns and tanks to attack the groups trying to overthrow the dictatorship.

These include People Defence Forces (PDFs) from Mobye, Pekon, Loikaw, Demawso and Naypyidaw and Karenni Nationalities Defense Force Battalion 3, Karenni Army, Karenni General Z, Underground Revolution Force and Battalion 1107 under the National Unity Government’s central command.

One resistance fighter, who preferred to remain anonymous, told NMG that they asked residents to leave the town for their own safety and that of the soldiers.

“When people are trapped in the town, we have to try to rescue them and sometimes our soldiers sacrifice their lives. We also worry about the welfare of civilians when we attack the BA.”

Junta soldiers were staying in the Roman Catholic Church in Mobye until 12 September, when they were forced to retreat after sustaining too many causalities. At which point the junta started shelling the town with MSRs, artillery and sending in tanks to attack the coalition of resistance groups.

A 50-year-old woman requesting anonymity wondered when the fighting will end, which has been raging for weeks. “We want everyone to understand that we’re trapped in the town. We can’t afford to pay for the funeral service if someone in my family die.”

On Friday, 16 September, the regime killed at least four people, including two children, when they shelled Mwe Taw Monastery.

According to the Mobye PDF, three resistance fighters were killed by an artillery strike and another was wounded during clashes.

The regime has cut connectivity making it difficult to interview PDF soldiers on the front line but the fighting appears to be escalating.