Over 1,000 local people have fled after the military council army and the militia force have conducted an offensive in Tsumpiyang village in Puta-O Township.
A military column of more than 100 soldiers left Puta-O on 9 May and entered Tsumpiyang village on 11 May. They are stationed in the public buildings in the village, locals said.
A local man from Tsumpiyang village said locals are worried as military council soldiers and militia forces are stationed in the village. They have fled the village for fear of fighting, and that junta soldiers may arrest them as human shields.
“They don’t flee to a single place. They have fled to different places. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) doesn’t ask them to flee. However, they have fled the village for fear that they may face the same incident like Wadat locals,” the local man said.
As the locals fled the village, junta soldiers broke down the doors of houses in the village and shot and killed domestic animals.
On 10 May, the KIA ambushed the military column between N-dawng Bum and Hkau Bum, which is located about one mile from Tanja village on the route.
After the military council suffered casualties in the ambush attack, some locals from Wadat village were taken as human shields until they reached Tsumpiyang village, Tsumpiyang residents said.
It has been three days since almost all the villagers fled the village three days ago.
Wadat residents arrested as human shields were released by the military council on arrival at Tsumpiyang village on the evening of 11 May.
On the other hand, the KIA carried out a drone attack on the military column conducting an offensive into Tsumpiyang village on the night on 11 May.
Tsumpiyang village is located on the border between Puta-O and Sumprabum. The village has seen frequent clashes between the military council and the KIA since the military coup.
Tsumpiyang is a village-tract composed of small villages such as Wadat, Induyan, Insiyan, Inhsaingyan and Khindupar villages. It has 180 households and a population of over 1,000 people.
Tsumpiyang locals fled the fighting for almost 3 months due to the months-long battles between the military council and the KIA in 2022. They had to flee again after they returned to the village over one year ago.
Sent by KNG.