KACHIN STATE – Town residents reported hearing three rounds of heavy artillery shots in Laiza where the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is headquartered at around noon on Monday (November 27).
A source clarified that it was KIA shelling the junta council column that launched an offensive towards Lajaryang from Moemauk. Although the source also mentioned that KIA and junta terrorists also engaged in a confrontation, it cannot be independently confirmed.
The junta council launched offensives in Kachin State, claiming that they will capture Laiza and there have been battles breaking out between KIA and junta troops along the Myitkyina-Bhamo Road since July with the military situation still tense.
Although there hasn’t been any decisive outcomes from those battles up till the first week of October, the junta council attacked Mong Lai Hket refugee camp with heavy power weapons on October 9, killing 29 civilians at the camp.
Following that event, KIA intensified its military movements, capturing the Loilam Aungja military hill camp at the border of Moemauk and Waingmaw on October 20 and Gandaungyang hill camp on October 31.
On the day KIA captured Gandaungyang camp and for the first week of November, the junta council carried out airstrikes in the vicinity of Laiza and also fired heavy artillery shells into Laiza.