‘Peace mediator’ shot amid intense fighting near jade town of Hpakant

Subscribe to the Myanmar Now daily newsletter. It's free. Sign up > A local magnate trying to broker ceasefire talks was reportedly injured by a gunshot near the jade mining town of Hpakant, Kachin State, as clashes erupted over the weekend between the military and Kachin anti-junta fighters. The battle and reported shooting occurred in Hseng Taung village some three miles south of Hpakant after junta forces advanced into the village and began fighting with an alliance of anti-junta fighters led by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The junta column of more than 100 soldiers entered Hseng Taung—itself a centre of activity in the jade industry—on Saturday evening, stationing in and near the Lucky Man Hotel. According to KIA spokesperson Col. Naw Bu, the soldiers began firing on the village using both small arms and heavy artillery that night, trapping some civilians inside the hotel. “The fighting in Hpakant Township has lasted for three days now, with direct clashes between a junta column of about 100 troops conducting security patrols and our KIA coalition forces,” Col. Naw Bu said on Monday. “From what I heard, junta troops surrounded the hotel in Hseng Taung with civilians inside. The KIA responded by firing on the besieging troops, leading to further fighting in the village,” he added. On the first day of fighting, junta troops reportedly shot and killed three young men running routine errands in Hseng Taung, according to a male resident of Hpakant with ties to the KIA, who added that their bodies were not recovered until the following day. Fighting escalated on the second day, leading to an exchange of fire using heavy artillery, he said. On the third morning of the clashes, the KIA-allied forces blocked all routes to the village to cut off access to the junta troops, who were still stationed at the hotel, according to another local source. “I heard that some KIA and PDF members were captured there,” he added, referring to the resistance fighters of the People’s Defence Forces. “I also heard they also took some civilians hostage.” According to Hseng Taung villagers, Yup Zau Hkawng, a prominent Kachin State businessman and reputed military crony who heads the Kachin Peace-Talk Creation Group (PCG), was present during the standoff. Arriving with the aim of mediating negotiations for the release of captured civilians and fighters and the removal of roadblocks, he was shot in the thigh by junta troops, the villagers said. Yup Zau Hkawng, known primarily as a magnate of the jade industry, is also allegedly involved in illegal gold mining and has been accused of skirting safety standards in his businesses’ mining practices. Yup Zau Hkawng, who was reportedly shot in the thigh (Supplied) Col. Naw Bu confirmed receiving reports that a PCG leader had been shot, but said the details of the incident were still unclear. “I heard that PCG members went to rescue trapped civilians, but the junta troops fired on them, and a leader of the group was hurt,” the KIA spokesperson said. Residents of nearby villages reported that gunfire could still be heard from Hseng Taung on Monday morning, suggesting that intense fighting was still ongoing. One villager reported that artillery shells had struck Hseng Taung as well as surrounding villages such as San Kywei and Yu Mar, leading to what sounded like a major battle. The shelling also damaged houses and injured civilians in the other villages, residents said. The fighting also reportedly forced residents of Hseng Taung to flee the village for safety, flying white flags to ward off shooting. On August 15, the KIA and coalition forces captured two junta hilltop bases: the La Mawng base north of Hpakant and the Taw Maw base to the northwest. The military still has control of a hilltop base in Hseng Taung village, as well as at least three other major bases in the vicinity of Hpakant. KIA-led offensive operations against the military intensified in March of this year, leading to clashes in many Kachin State townships.

‘Peace mediator’ shot amid intense fighting near jade town of Hpakant

A battle broke out between Myanmar army troops stationed at a village hotel and KIA-led anti-junta forces, reportedly escalating due to the soldiers’ having trapped civilians inside the hotel and the KIA blocking access to the village in response

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