Three civilians shot dead amid intensifying clashes in Hpakant

The bodies of three men were discovered in Kachin State’s Hpakant Township on Thursday, as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and junta forces continued to clash in the jade-mining region. The men, who had apparently been shot dead, were found near the village of Hmaw Si Sar, residents of the area told Myanmar Now. All three were identified as homeless residents of the village. Although it was unclear who had killed the men, residents said they suspected junta troops active in the area. “I heard gunshots from small firearms last night. I don’t know who was shooting, but later I heard from others that some junta troops had come down from Pagoda Hill and started firing,” said a local man who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The deceased were homeless wanderers, so it’s possible they were spotted and shot,” he added. Civilians are frequently killed in Hpakant, where persistent clashes have kept the situation unstable. Clashes intensified after a large junta force entered Hpakant on May 27, with the civilian death toll surpassing 20 as of June 12, according to reports. Early last week, a drone attack carried out by regime forces killed three workers at a jade mine near Hmaw Si Sar, as the military expanded its presence in the area and moved to shut down mines operating without junta approval. As of Thursday, junta troops had begun advancing into villages near Hmaw Si Sar, including Taung Yar Kone, Thar Yar Kone, and Aung Thar Yar, amid ongoing clashes with the KIA and the allied Kachin People’s Defence Force. As fighting spread to a wider area, residents have been using social media to warn each other of the danger of impending clashes, according to a man living in Hpakant. “Currently, the fighting isn’t very intense—it’s mostly limited to skirmishes. But people are worried about getting caught in shell explosions, so everyone is being urged to relocate,” he said. The KIA-led forces have captured most of the junta outposts around Hpakant, giving them control over access to the town. This has prompted the regime to send hundreds of reinforcement troops into the town and surrounding areas since late last month. Meanwhile, fighting has eased near Bhamo, south of the state capital Myitkyina, in recent days, sources there have reported. The KIA has been conducting a months-long campaign to take control of the strategically important town on the Ayeyarwady River. On May 20, the KIA shot down two junta helicopters near Bhamo, causing one to crash and forcing the other to make an emergency landing. Like other ethnic armed groups fighting the regime in northern Myanmar, the KIA has come under pressure from China to agree to end hostilities. However, fighting in most areas continues unabated. Since launching a major offensive in March of last year, the KIA has seized control of 14 towns in Kachin State, as well as the northern Shan State town of Mabein.

Three civilians shot dead amid intensifying clashes in Hpakant

Residents say they suspect the killings were carried out by junta forces, as the military expands its presence in the area

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