Residents from two wards said they have fled to safer places as the military column advances Dawphoneyan on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road in Kachin State.
The military column which left Kone Law at night on 6 September arrived in Dawponeyan at 6 am on 7 September. Locals fled to safer places as the military council carried out indiscriminate firing of heavy shells along the route, a local from Dawphoneyan said.
“This military column will enter Dawphoneyan. Since this morning, I have been hearing gunshots continuously. I can still hear it. It’s not a fight. Locals from Pankaunghmu and Lonejoneyan in the west of Dawphoneyan have fled to nearby safer places as the military convoy of seven military vehicles carrying over 100 soldiers may enter from the west of Dawphonyan instead of Bhamo road.
According to local news sources, when the military council column was leaving Kone Law on the afternoon of 6 September, it was ambushed by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) at a place in Teinphyar road above Kone Law.
Currently, the military convoy may enter Infantry Battalion-142 in Dawphoneyan. Due to the artillery shelling and the fear of arrest, the locals have fled to safer places, according to news sources.
The military column advancing Dawphoneyan via Bhamo covers five military vehicles loaded with troops and five ration vehicles. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) ambushed the convoy near Darhsaing village before reaching Konelaw on 5 September. Now, there are only seven military vehicles left in the military convoy, according to local news sources.
In mid-August, the first military convoy of 26 military vehicles carrying troops and ration supplies from Bhamo was in Dawphoneyan for about a week, local news sources continued.
The military council will carry out the reinforcement of troops and rations to Namsanyan where tension remains. The KIA usually ambushes whenever the military columns advances, according to the news sources.
Sent by KNG