September 10, 2024

Intense fighting between the Myanmar military and joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defense Forces (PDF) in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, has forced around 2,000 civilians to flee their homes. In the midst of the conflict, a prominent leader of the Kachin Peace Creation Group (PCG), U Ywat Zaw Khawng, was shot by junta forces while attempting to mediate, local sources report.

Since September 7, fierce clashes have erupted around Sai Taung (Saip Mu) and Gyankat villages, where KIA and KPDF forces have encircled the junta troops stationed at Lucky Man Hotel. The fighting has persisted through September 9.

“Fighting has been ongoing for a day, and artillery fire can be heard from both sides. Resistance forces are also using drones for counterattacks,” a local resident told New Day Myanmar. On September 7, three male villagers from Sai Taung were killed by artillery fire, and KIA forces have since blocked all routes in and out of the village, local sources say.

On September 8, U Ywat Zaw Khawng, a well-known Kachin peace advocate and leader of PCG, was shot in the leg by junta forces while attempting to negotiate peace. He was visiting Sai Taung to mediate rising tensions but was met with gunfire. U Ywat Zaw Khawng, a respected Kachin nationalist, is also related to U Khet Htein Nan, the junta-appointed Chief Minister of Kachin State, and is a prominent figure in the jade and gold mining industries. He was awarded a peace prize by the junta in 2023 for his mediation efforts.

Currently, KIA and allied resistance forces control access to Hpakant, where only five junta military outposts remain.