The People's Defence Forces (PDF) have seized the Indaw Police Station and the General Administration Department Office in Indaw Township as part of an ongoing battle to capture the city. Reports indicate that over 1,000 civilians are being held hostage by the military, which is using them as human shields.
The operation to capture Indaw city began on August 16 under the leadership of the PDF's No. 1 Military Region Command. On August 24, the PDF successfully captured both the Indaw Police Station and the General Administration Department Office. The military, in retreat, took control of an area known as the "Japanese Camp," where they established a defensive line inside a cave, which now serves as the front headquarters for the 77th Light Infantry Division.
According to a source from the National Unity Government (NUG) Prime Minister’s Office, more than 1,000 civilians have been detained and are being held at the Indaw Myo Ma Monastery, just 900 meters from the Japanese cave. The NUG source indicated that the civilians are being used as human shields by the military.
On September 7, 2024, the Indaw Township Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee sent a letter to the military, requesting the release of the civilians. However, reports suggest that the hostages are still being held. "The army has detained more than 1,000 people as human shields in response to the PDF’s offensive. Despite appeals from the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and assurances from the PDF about the safety of returning civilians, the military continues to detain them," a source from the NUG Prime Minister’s Office said.
In the course of the battle, the military reportedly set fire to homes and fired heavy artillery, resulting in the destruction of 98 houses. Additionally, the town’s mosque and market were also burned down.
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