A day-long battle erupted near Hpakant city in Kachin State at San Kyway village on September 6, resulting in numerous casualties among military council troops and civilian casualties due to artillery fire from the military, according to KIA military sources. The conflict began around 3 AM when military council forces and their allied troops from Hpakant launched an offensive against combined KIA and KPDF positions in the San Kyway and Maw Taung areas. The intense fighting involved exchanges of both heavy weapons and small arms, with military council forces suffering such heavy casualties that they were unable to retrieve their dead.
During the battle, the military council forces deliberately targeted civilian areas with heavy artillery, resulting in the death of one male civilian from San Kyway village and injuries to more than ten others, including a Buddhist monk. Additionally, a young woman from Hpakant’s Mashikhtaung ward was injured and had to be transported to Myitkyina hospital for treatment. The military presence in Hpakant has now extended beyond three months, during which time their attacks and artillery strikes have resulted in over 70 civilian deaths and more than 250 injuries. Approximately 13 villages in western Hpakant have been displaced by the fighting, with residents facing urgent humanitarian needs including food and basic necessities.
Due to the high number of casualties suffered by military council forces, they have had to reinforce their troops three times in the area. Fighting continues to occur almost daily, with both sides engaging in artillery exchanges. The situation has created a severe humanitarian crisis in the region, with displaced villagers from San Kyway, Maw Taung, and surrounding areas struggling to access basic necessities. The military council’s continued offensive operations and indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas have led to widespread displacement and suffering among the local population, while resistance forces maintain their defensive positions in the area.
