Fighting in Indaw Township kills one civilian, injures two

An alliance of Kachin Independence Army (KIA), People’s Defence Force (PDF), and other fighters clashed fiercely with junta troops in Indaw Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday morning, according to a local resistance source. 

A column of around 100 soldiers arrived at the Na Bar highway junction, located in Na Bar village about four miles northeast of Indaw, close to 6am and began fighting with members of the KIA, PDF, and the local resistance group Indaw Revolution (IR), a spokesperson for IR said. 

During the battle, the driver of a passing vehicle was killed when he came under fire by junta troops, the leading IR officer said, citing accounts from local people. 

“The driver died, and two people in the back seat were injured. The injured people have been sent to Katha Hospital,” he said.

Details about the identities of the deceased driver and the injured passengers are not yet confirmed, the officer added. 

Junta troops reportedly remained at the Na Bar Junction after the shooting, which occurred at around 11am, and traffic congestion affected nearby roads for several hours afterwards. 

The military council has tightened security measures in Indaw, and soldiers have conducted frequent searches on pedestrians entering and leaving the town.

According to a local civilian man in his 40s, junta troops stationed in the town of Indaw have been shelling the hills around the Na Bar Junction relentlessly for two days, targeting local resistance forces that they suspect of hiding there. 

“We heard the sound of artillery fire. I don’t know how many shells were fired in the vicinity of the battle. They were shooting from their base in the town,” the local resident said, referring to Indaw. 

Following a series of battles in Sagaing Region’s Indaw and Banmauk townships in July, there was a monthlong lull in clashes between the military and anti-junta forces. 

The resumed fighting and memories of the junta soldiers raiding villages and arresting residents have caused civilians living in the area to fear for their safety, according to local civilians. 

“For the moment, nothing has happened. But if the junta troops launch a military offensive, we will need to flee. These days, they are fighting in the Na Bar area, so fear has taken hold of the people living there,” the local resident said. 

Junta troops have been fighting with the KIA and PDF since last year for control of Na Bar Junction, a site of some strategic importance where three highways meet, connecting the township with other major towns. In August of 2022, an allied force of KIA and PDF fighters raided Tanpo Gate, a junta checkpoint near Na Bar Junction. 

Parts of Sagaing Region have become strongholds of the anti-junta resistance forces, whom the KIA have been providing with weapons and military training. 

In July, military regime chief Min Aung Hlaing directed top military and junta-aligned civilian leaders to escalate offensives in Sagaing Region, as well as Chin and Karenni states, to retake territory now largely controlled by resistance forces.