The Burma army raided Mawpon village (also known as Maden Yang village) in Hpakant Township on the morning of 21 April. During the raid, the Burma army soldiers set fire to a number of civilian houses.
About 100 Burma army soldiers raided Mawpon village around 4 a.m. on 21 April. A local man who is close to the Hpakant People’s Defense Force (Hpakant PDF) said that a clash broke out in the village during the raid, and then the Burma army soldiers set fire to some houses.
“Burma army soldiers burned some civilian houses in Mawpon around 5 a.m. The soldiers burned houses on Mawpon lane no-10 and lane no-11. Since the morning, clashes are on-going between the PDF and Burma army in the village,” the local man, who is close to the Hpakant PDF, told KNG.
Burma army soldiers based in Hpakant town attacked Mawpon village with artillery fire during the clash. Mawpon village is located about five miles from Hpakant town. Local people are afraid of the clash and the artillery fire.
“After the clash started, some people were unable to leave their houses and some people were unable to return to their houses. The PDF engaged in a firefight with the Burma army soldiers who were raiding the village. The Burma army soldiers were indiscriminately shooting into different directions,” a local man told KNG.
The exact number of civilian causalities and the extent of property damage during the clash in Mawpon could not be verified by Kachin News Group.
The Burma army military column which raided Mawpon village, and burned the civilian houses, is a combined force consisting of soldiers from Hpakant and soldiers from Lon Khin in Sagaing Region.
Recently, the Burma army has launched surprise raids on some villages and wards in Hpakant Township because they say troops from the Kachin Independence Army and People’s Defense Force members are hiding there. During these raids the Burma army soldiers have burned civilian houses and shot indiscriminately around civilian villages and wards in the township.
