KACHIN STATE – Heavy artillery shells fired by the junta council landed and exploded in Ngatpyawtaw Ward of Hpakant Township, killing two civilians and injuring three, reported the local residents.
On September 16 around 2 p.m., heavy artillery shells fired by junta Hpakant Strategic Hill landed in Ngatpyawtaw Ward and the explosion killed two civilians and injured three. Fighting is reportedly intense in Saitaung on that day and the junta council carried out two air strikes while also providing nonstop artillery support from Hpakant Strategic Hill.
“The junta council is firing heavy weapons from Hpakant Strategic Hill to Saitaung to cover its troops. Some of those shells landed in Ngatpyawtaw Ward and killed two civilians. Three more were heavily wounded,” said a local source from Hpakant.
Fighting reportedly reached its peak between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and junta council troops at Saitaung, and junta forces were reported to have abducted civilians at Lucky Man Hotel to murder and use them as hostages.
