Local residents report that three civilians were killed and more than ten were injured due to indiscriminate artillery strikes by the military council forces in Hpakant Township, Kachin State. On August 5th at 6:45 PM, artillery shells fired from the military base on Tahmakan Hill in Hpakant struck a house belonging to Aik San in Shayaw Ka village. The strike resulted in the complete destruction of one house by fire and the immediate death of one civilian.
Later that night at 8:00 PM, additional artillery strikes targeted Yuma village, resulting in two civilian deaths and injuries to more than ten people. According to local sources, the military has been firing artillery in all directions without any ongoing battles in the area. Similar artillery attacks on August 3rd and 4th also resulted in continuous civilian casualties and deaths. On the morning of August 4th, artillery strikes on Myauk Phyu village killed two civilians, including a child, and injured five others. The same day, artillery strikes on Shalo Ka village wounded two more civilians.
On the evening of August 3rd, artillery attacks on San Kywel village injured four civilians, while similar strikes on Shalo Ka village on the evening of August 2nd resulted in one civilian death. The military council’s offensive operations in the Hpakant area have been ongoing for more than three months, forcing at least 5,000 civilians from ten villages to flee their homes. Local residents report that the military council has unlawfully killed more than 60 civilians during this period. The continuous artillery strikes are causing daily civilian casualties and widespread destruction of homes.
The situation in Hpakant exemplifies the military council’s pattern of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement of local populations. The artillery strikes have been particularly devastating for villages in the region, with civilians bearing the brunt of the military’s aggressive actions. The ongoing violence has created a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of internally displaced persons struggling to find safe shelter while the military continues its campaign of terror against civilian populations.
