A Myanmar army column again burned down several houses in Dinggar village, Momauk Township, Bhamo District, Kachin State, after leaving Dawthponeyan, according to residents.
On 15 October, the junta column entered Dinggar village at around 8 am and set fire to some houses and buildings, according to a person helping IDPs.
“It was the same military column that set fire to Longjonyang village. Now they have set Dinggar on fire again. No one knows exactly how many houses were burned down. At the moment, no one can get to Dinggar,” said the IDP aid worker from Dawthponeyan.
The junta column of about 100 soldiers had advanced from Bhamo to Dawthponeyan around 3:30 pm on 12 October. They burned 11 houses before reaching Longjonyang village.
After burning down the 11 houses in Longjonyang on 12 October, the junta troops entered the Infantry Battalion (142) in Dawthponeyan. On 14 October, they continued their advance from Dawthponeyan and entered Dinggar on the morning of 15 October, where they burned down the church, school and houses, the IDP aid worker added.
The number of burned houses is not known because locals are not allowed to enter Dinggar village, he said.
Residents of Dinggar village, with about 18 households, have taken shelter in Dawthponeyan after the fighting intensified in late July, according to locals.
“There are no villagers left in Dinggar. But some of them return to check on things or take care of their farms. After the fighting intensified, houses and IDP camps in Dawthponeyan were burned down. After the villagers of Dinggar learned that their village was also burned down, they are worriedly wondering if their house was also burned down. But the situation is such that no one can go there at the moment,” said the IDP aid worker from Dawthponeyan.
The Myanmar army column burning Kachin villages between Bhamo, Dawthponeyan and Nam Sam Yang is said to be the Light Infantry Battalion (77) of the Light Infantry Division (88).
Locals report that Myanmar army troops started burning houses after the junta column suffered casualties in some areas around Dawthponeyan due to ambushes by the Kachin Independence Amry (KIA).
Sent by KNG.