The Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIA) destroyed a Tatmadaw camp on Thursday, March 11, after the military regime shot and killed peaceful protesters in Kachin State’s capital city, Myitkyina.

“We heard gunfire at 3 am. The next morning, when we went to look at the military camp there was nothing was left. It was burned to the ground,” said a local who requested for his name not used.

The man said others witnessed KIO/A soldiers singing a popular protest song while flashing ‘three fingers’ when leaving the destroyed camp at about 5 am. The gesture that has been adopted from the Hunger Games movie series has become a symbol of resistance for protesters in Burma and neighboring Thailand.

According to KIO/A spokesperson Col Naw Bu, KIO/A Battalion-26 (Brigade-9) attacked the Tatmadaw camp in Selzin village, located in the Indawgyi region (Mohnyin Township). During the evening offensive, he said that Burma Army sustained casualties and some soldiers ran away.

Burma Army have been warned against using violence against protesters, Col Naw Bu said. “I want to encourage people to continue on their path until they reach their goal…They do not need to be afraid of them (junta).”

This week, security forces shot dead two protesters in Myitkyina after firing at peaceful demonstrators. Before the killings, Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng knelt in front of police demanding that they not hurt the “children” and to take her own life instead. A dramatic video of the ordeal that has gone viral shows two police kneeling in front of her praying while security forces behind them fire at demonstrators.

Yesterday, after the KIO/A destroyed Tatmadaw’s camp, it launched an airstrike on Battalion-26. According to locals, fighting was still breaking out on Thursday afternoon.

The Burma Army attacked KIO/A camps in northern Shan State in March.