KACHIN STATE – Junta soldiers had returned to Pantin Bridge checkpoint in Hpakant Township that was recently under attack by Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and are collecting tolls from passing vehicles.
KIA attacked the checkpoint on September 20, killing at least three junta council troops and it is said that the junta forces returned to the checkpoint on September 23.
“Cars, motorcycles and sidecar-attached motorcycles loaded with goods are flagged down. The driver is then summoned into the station and asked to pay depending on the goods. They (junta soldiers) only remain inside the station. There are around ten of them,” said a local driver.
Pantin checkpoint is located between Mhawwan Village and Nammaphyit Village and the vehicles passing the gate have to pay from 5,000 MMK to 30,000 MMK depending on the goods.
The checkpoint was also under attack by KIA and KPDF (Kachin People’s Defence Force) on July 21 and five junta soldiers were killed.