Myanmar regime forces torch mine sites near Hpakant

Junta troops advancing on the major jade-mining centre of Hpakant in Kachin State have begun raiding mine sites and setting them on fire, according to local sources. A column of regime soldiers and local militia members entered the area east of Hpakant late last month, clashing with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied groups controlling access to the town. On Tuesday, the junta forces started attacking mines near the village of Long Hkin (Lawng Hkang), a local man told Myanmar Now. “After they arrived, they ordered the mine sites to halt operations. Since then, they’ve carried out raids and pushed further into the area. They seem to be targeting sites that remained active,” the man said. A combined force of approximately 1,000 junta troops and militia members has been advancing towards Hpakant from the east and the south since April, facing fierce resistance along both routes. The troops approaching along the road from Kamaing, some 40 miles to the east of Hpakant, have made the greatest progress, but have yet to reach the town, making it only as far as the Long Hkin village tract. According to KIA spokesperson Col. Naw Bu, the regime forces have been targeting sites near Hmaw Si Sar, a village in the Long Hkin village tract. “Junta troops have been operating actively near Hmaw Si Sar and nearby company compounds, setting fire to properties, residential buildings, and dormitories,” he said. Some mining companies have ceased operations since the raids began, and most workers have fled to escape the attacks, according to a resident of the area. On Tuesday, a mine site operated by the Triple One Company near Hmaw Si Sar was targeted by a drone attack that killed three workers and injured at least 10 others, said another local resident. “Gunpowder was stored in an underground pit accessible only to supervisors. A red light was seen just before the explosion,” the resident said. There have also been reports of attacks on sites near the villages of Sar Khar and Thar Yar Kone, north of Long Hkin, with dormitories and machinery set on fire. On Wednesday, a junta helicopter reportedly attempted to land near a hilltop base in Hpakant, but was forced to retreat after coming under fire from the KIA and allied forces.

Myanmar regime forces torch mine sites near Hpakant

Junta troops have been pushing closer the jade-mining town since April, reaching its eastern outskirts late last month

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