Two civilians killed by Myanmar junta shelling in Hpakant Township

Two local men were killed when junta forces bombed and shelled a village and urban ward in the jade-producing township of Hpakant, Kachin State on Monday. Clashes broke out around 4am on Monday between the junta troops and a joint force of fighters from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Kachin People’s Defence Forces (Kachin PDF) in the village of Hseng Taung some six miles southeast of Hpakant. A battery positioned at a nearby junta hilltop tactical base provided artillery support to junta ground troops during the battle. At around 1:30pm, a shell fired from the hilltop base detonated on the main road in Hpakant’s Hnget Pyaw Taw Ward, killing two civilian men instantly, according to a source connected to the KIA. “I heard two people from Hnget Pyaw Taw were killed. There were many others injured and perhaps killed too. Today there was heavy artillery fire and airstrikes, so I don’t know what other casualties there were yet,” he said. Details about the victims’ ages, names, and other identifying details have yet to be confirmed, but one was known to be an elderly man, and the other was a young man, the source added. Artillery continued firing from the hill base until around 3pm. The junta air force also carried out two airstrikes that afternoon, bombing Hseng Taung at around 12:30pm and 2:30pm. With clashes ongoing, it has not been possible to confirm the number of casualties from the bombing. According to the KIA-connected source, at least 30 locals have been killed since clashes broke out in and near Hpakant on September 7. The death toll is likely to be higher, he added, also noting that more than 150 homes in Hseng Taung have been destroyed by shelling, bombing, or fires set by junta troops. “Houses are still burning today, but we’re not sure if it’s from the artillery or if they torched them,” he said. “Many houses that weren’t burned were also destroyed. Many people were injured too.” Fighting erupted when junta troops raided and took over the Lucky Men Hotel in Hseng Taung, a vibrant commercial hub that has attracted business activity connected with the township’s jade production. The troops were still occupying the hotel and its vicinity as of Monday, with KIA and Kachin PDF fighters besieging the hotel’s premises, continuing to fire on it as they tried to advance. Locals said the three-storey Lucky Men Hotel, opened just over a year ago, is owned by a Chinese businessman and contains gambling facilities. Junta troops occupied the hotel on September 7 after receiving information that KIA and Kachin PDF fighters were staying or sheltering there. The junta has been holding guests and hotel staff captive since seizing the building, with some managing to escape but some still inside the hotel, according to residents of Hseng Taung. The troops are believed to have executed some anti-junta fighters and civilians caught inside the hotel, the village residents said. Based on photos and videos distributed on social media, at least 10 male bodies have been found outside the hotel. KIA spokesperson Col. Naw Bu said the deceased have not yet been identified, adding that fighting is likely to continue since there are still junta troops occupying the hotel. “The military situation in Hpakant remains tense,” Col. Naw Bu said. “Soldiers regularly come from the tactical hill base on security patrols, so clashes occur frequently.” Having fought against the regime since the coup, KIA fighters have captured 19 military base camps in Hpakant Township since March, effectively allowing them to encircle the town. However, junta troops are still in control of the Mazwutyang Prison, the police stations, and enough bases in the township to slow the KIA and allied forces’ advance and keep them from gaining more ground.

Two civilians killed by Myanmar junta shelling in Hpakant Township

Junta forces bombarded Hseng Taung, a large village made economically vibrant by the jade production in the township, using airstrikes and heavy artillery positioned at a nearby hilltop base

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