The fighting continues between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Military Council troops in Kachin State and northern Shan State, and the fighting in Kachin State has resulted in the deaths of civilians as well as military council troops.
According to local residents, the shootings between the two factions in the Namya village-tract of Hpakant Township, Kachin State have persisted from April 18 to 20.
Colonel Naw Bu, a spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), has reported that the KIA launched an attack on a Military Council vehicle using landmines on April 18 at the Pyarohn village junction in the Namya village-tract.
“When the Military Council moved with their convoy along Hpakant Road on the Namya side, we were attacked with landmines,” he said.
On its social network page, the Kachin Net, a media outlet associated with the KIO/KIA, reported in the Kachin language that the landmine attack resulted in the death of 4 Military Council troops, and 20 others, including an officer, sustained injuries.
The KIO/KIA also claimed that, apart from the landmine attack on the Military Council’s vehicle in Hpakant, the KIA also launched an attack on and took control of a joint military camp of the Military Council troops and the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) in Sezin on April 17.
“ In Sezin, where the 26th KIA battalion has taken control of the military camps that belonged to both the Military Council and the SNA. It’s been three days now, and it is located within the 9th brigade area and the 26th battalion area," said Colonel Naw Bu. Likewise in the conflict between the Military Council troops and the KIA in Kachin State, the KIA also launched an attack on the tactical command center of the Military Council troops in Lashio Township, located in northern Shan State.
“ In regard to the attack, it was only a minor disturbance, and no major operations have taken place since then. It has been approximately four days since the incident occurred on the Kutkai side, specifically on the side of our 8th battalion,” explained Colonel Naw Bu.
Colonel Naw Bu elaborated on Namya village landmines incident in Hkapant and explained, “The Military Council began moving towards Namya after taking people hostage in their military vehicles. This is a tactic of using innocent civilians as human shields, putting their lives at risk. This is reprehensible behavior. Instead of targeting the real enemy, we observe that they engage in operations by shooting at innocent civilians. Yesterday, the public was greatly impacted, and even this morning, we received news that a woman had succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. She was among the innocent civilians who were injured.”
According to residents of Hpakant, a woman was killed and six others sustained injuries among the locals who were taken hostage by the Military Council to be used as human shields.
According to the KIO/KIA, fighting erupted between the KIA and Military Council troops in Hparkant of Kachin State and Kutkai Township in northern Shan State. However, the military situation has reportedly remained calm in other townships with no reported fighting.
Colonel Naw Bu stated that although the military situation in other regions of Kachin State is currently calm, there is still military tension between the KIA and the Military Council troops in Hparkant township due to the latter’s military activities. Colonel Naw Bu warned that this situation could escalate into fierce fighting between the two armed organizations.
