KACHIN STATE – It is known that a junta artillery shell landed and exploded on Saturday afternoon (July 8) near the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO/KIA), in Laiza.
Although there have been artillery shells landing close to Laiza in the past, this time the explosion is closer to Laiza’s residential areas.
One vendor in Laiza said, “This shell landed too close. Perhaps, I was thinking that because the building was trembling, and I could hear the ground shake. Maybe I was heavily influenced by my terrified state of mind T that time. We are not that concerned about shelling. We are just worried about airstrikes. The people split for a brief period after the shell landed. I heard that it landed at a mountainside.”
A person who is close to the KIA information sources also confirmed that the weapon landed on the mountain. In the evening, it was reported that KIA fired back at the military junta.
It is known that there has been intensified tension and fighting between KIA and the military junta near Laiza for about three weeks.
The citizens of Laiza are worried as the military junta is waging war with a large number of troops. Since the last week of June, in Wai Maw and Moe Mauk Townships and areas close to the KIA headquarters in Laiza, military tension has intensified with continuous battles better the junta and KIA forces.
Due to the fighting, the displaced villagers from Nam Sang Yan Village on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road, who have jutmst returned home are forced to flee back to Wai Maw Township again.