There has been an increase in home burglaries in Hsipaw (Thibaw) Town, Shan State since the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) took control of the town on 13 October 2024.
Since the TNLA captured the junta’s Infantry Battalion (IB) 23 base on 13 October and took control of the whole of Hsipaw town the security situation has deteriorated, with burglaries becoming increasingly frequent in downtown wards.
The TNLA started a series of attacks on the junta bases in Hsipaw Town in August and took them one at a time. At the peak of the fighting, nearly half of Hsipaw's residents fled to safer areas, with many finding temporary refuge in camps for internally displaced people.
A few people have since returned to the town, but many have stayed away. This means that their houses have been left empty, making easy pickings for potential burglars in downtown Hsipaw.
A 40-year-old Hsipaw resident who is currently sheltering elsewhere said: "Some people have returned home, but many only went back to check on their houses and clean them. Others returned due to rumours that the TNLA would seize their homes if they didn't come back. Many unoccupied houses have been broken into by burglars. Burglars also broke into my house in Tonhsint Ward, ransacking it and stealing my belongings.”
Many of those who have fled Hsipaw town do not want to return because they worry that the junta will launch retaliatory airstrikes on the town, according to aid workers assisting them.
The aforementioned Hsipaw resident said: "Our situation as war-displaced people is truly a dilemma. When we leave our homes, we worry about thieves, who are rampant in Hsipaw. Beds, pillows, furniture, and even Buddha statues are stolen, leaving nothing behind. If we return home, we constantly fear that junta airstrikes could come at any moment. As for me, I only go back occasionally to check on my home, but I don't dare stay overnight.”
Currently over 1,000 displaced people are still living in temporary IDP camps in Shwe Dar, Yay Haw, and Bo Daw monasteries in Hsipaw Township. They are currently in need of food.
During the TNLA-led coalition's offensive to capture junta bases in Hsipaw, the junta deliberately targeted civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of 33 locals and injuries to 80 others. The junta’s attacks also destroyed two schools and 47 houses, according to a 15 October report by the TNLA Information Department.
