Intense fighting is ongoing in Ma Au Pin village along the Hpakant road due to the military council’s advancing column with thousands of junta soldiers an offensive into the Hpakant of Kachin State.
As a result, around 1,000 locals from six villages have fled their homes to seek safety, according to residents of the Hpakant area.
The military council forces have advanced towards the Hpakant area from both the Kamaing road and the Gway Khar road in the Indawgyi region.
As a result, residents from villages such as Namya, Kat Hmaw, Hseng Hpa Yar, Pyarohn, and Tadar Nyi Nawng are once again fleeing to safety, according to a local from Hpakant assisting displaced civilians.
“Starting yesterday (25 April), in response to calls for help from the villages, the Hpakant Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) has begun operations to evacuate displaced civilians from Nant Yar, Kat Hmaw, and Hseng Phyar. Vehicles from the church are currently being used to transport the affected villagers to safety,” said a local from Hpakant.
Starting on 24 April, the Hpakant Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) led a relief effort using 20 vehicles to assist around 1,000 displaced people, the local continued.
In recent days, the military council deployed around 500 troops in three separate columns, advancing as far as Dum Bung and Lawa villages.
On 23 and 24 April, they moved along the road toward Hpakant. Clashes erupted when KIA forces mounted resistance in Ma Au Pin village, located beyond Kamaing town, where the military columns were advancing.
So, around 500 junta soldiers, advancing from the Lawa– Kamaing road, are currently stranded in Ma Au Pin village. Intense clashes continued near Ma Au Pin Dam area until around 3 p.m. on 24 April.
A local man from Hpakant said: “The situation is such that the military council forces have advanced using various tactics. They launched offensives from two directions: one from Battalion 26 and the other from Mogaung, converging near Kamaing. These two military columns have been advancing toward the Hpakant area. Fighting is currently taking place in the territory controlled by Kahcin Independence Army (KIA) Battalion 44. If the military forces manage to advance beyond this area, they are expected to enter the territory of Brigade-9, Battalion 6. Now, they remain in Ma Au Pin.”
Locals said that if the roughly 500-strong military council force currently stationed in Ma Au Pin Dam village manages to advance, they could potentially enter KIA-controlled areas such as Namya, Hseng Hpa Yar, and Kat Hmaw.
On the other hand, sources have reported that around 1,000 military council troops have advanced from the areas of Indawgyi and Lawa- Kamaing road. However, the situation regarding the military columns advancing from Indawgyi remains unclear.
In addition, on 25 April, eyewitnesses reported that around five military trucks carrying a full load of troops from the Myitkyina Northern Regional Military Command were heading toward the Namti and Mogaung Townships.
Currently, due to fears of impending clashes, residents along the road to Hpakant — including those from Nant Yar village, Hseng Hpa Yar, and Kat Hmaw areas — have fled their homes. These areas were fully captured by joint KIA forces in April 2024.
The military council’s current counteroffensive is taking place at a time when it has been one year since the KIA-administered government mechanism has been operating along the road to Hpakant.
Since the military coup, frequent clashes have occurred between the military council forces and the KIA along the road to Hpakant.
As a result, residents of villages such as Namya, Nam Tein, Kat Maw, Hseng Hpa Yar, Tadar Nyi Nawng, Pyarohn, and Khun Sai Zut have been repeatedly displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Sent by KNG