A fighting erupted in Si Mu Lay village in Kachin State's Shwe Gu Township around 6:00 AM on March 29th, leading to the arrest of over 30 civilians in nearby Namlang village by the Military Council.

Dozens of civilians were arrested after the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People's Defense Forces (PDF) launched an attack against the Military Council troops who were stationed between Si Mu Lay and Si Mu Gyi villages, a local woman told KNG.

“We heard that over 30 individuals have been detained in Namlang village, and all those arrested were men. Ongoing fighting in nearby villages has caused many villagers to flee their homes rather than remain in the area. Several of those arrested attempted to return to their homes to check on their livestock and properties but were apprehended by soldiers. None have escaped custody at this time”, she said.

The skirmish lasted for about 1 hour and the exact circumstances of the casualties on both sides are not yet known.

Over thirty civilians, including residents from Namlang and neighboring villages Naung Lat Gyi and Win Wa, were detained, witnesses said.

The 77th Division and 10th Division of the Military Council united their forces, forming a column of over 100 troops, and that column has been conducting operations in the eastern villages of Shwegu since March 23rd, leading to a tense military situation with the KIA-PDF. As of now, there have been at least four encounters between the two sides.

As a result of heightened military tensions, the Military Council has severed electricity and phone connections provided by mobile operators, including Atom, Mytel, and MPT, in the eastern areas of Shwegu.

As the Military Council has infiltrated and stationed forces in the eastern part of Shwegu, residents of eight nearby villages have been compelled to evacuate for their safety.