SHAN STATE- The family members of the military council forces, who got arrested and detained during the battle of seizing Lashio city, have been released and sent to Namlan City, MNDAA announced on December 26.
A source in Northern Shan State said that the MNDAA and the Military Council had agreed to the release of prisoners of war and their families as part of talks mediated by China in mid-December last year.
“Prisoners of war are a burden for Kokang. They will be released continuously. They have thousands of prisoners of war,” the source said.
The MNDAA completely captured Lashio and the Northeast Regional Headquarters on August 3. General Soe Tint; Commander of the Northeastern Regional Military Command, Commander-in-Chief Brigadier Thant Htin Soe, No. (1) Army Brigadier Commander General Myo Min Htwe and over 4,700 military council officers and their family members were captured during the battles. In August, more than 800 military council troops and military family members were released.
On December 3, the MNDAA announced that it would no longer launch an offensive against the military council, following China’s urging, and continues to work on the development of Lashio City.
In an MNDAA statement released on December 3, it will not secede from Burma and is only asking for an autonomous region. Although MNDAA supports the resolution through the dialogue and the political method and urges the military council to stop airstrikes and ground offensives across Burma, they still hold the right to defend.
Neither the MNDAA nor the junta council released any news about the release of prisoners of war this time.
