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Burma Army attacks villages in Kachin State; IDPs flee across the border to China.
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- Details
- Published: Saturday, 19 April 2014 14:07
- Written by Free Burma Rangers
15 April 2014
Kachin State, Burma
Initially Chinese soldiers prohibited Kachin IDPs from seeking refuge from the fighting, but as fighting grew closer to Hka Hkye Camp, IDPs were permitted to temporarily seek refuge across the Chinese border (Photo credit: Kachin Light (WPN)).
On 10 April 2014, the Burma Army launched infantry attacks, supported with mortar fire, against Kachin Independence Army (KIA) positions in the La Gat Yang and Man Win areas along the Kachin-Shan border southwest of Nam Kham town. The attacks lasted from 10:00 until 20:00 hours.
Brang Mao, a 25-year-old man from Maw Swi Ag Lawt Yang was seriously injured by a Burma Army mortar round while he was running to safety. He has sustained several broken bones and serious wounds to his abdomen. (Photo credit: Kachin Light (WPN)).
Burma Army soldiers from Military Operation Command (MOC) 16, Division 88, and Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) 622 and 588 conducted multiple attacks in the Lat Gat Yang area, including the following areas:
•Nawng Luk/Nawng Lum
•Lahkum Pa
•Nam Hka
•Lagat Daw
•Kyak Hpra
Fighting lasted for 10 hours, displacing 1,800 people and causing many to flee to China. (Photo credit: Kachin Light (WPN)).
The attacks extended to less than one kilometer from the Lagat Yang Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp, driving away over 800 IDPs. Over 1,000 Shan villagers have fled to the China border.
IDPs from Hka Hkye Camp are now running to the Chinese side of the river nearby serving as border between Kachin State and China. Chinese soldiers have been waiting on their side of the river, initially blocking Kachin IDP’s attempts to flee the fighting, but once the fighting came within close proximity of the camp the Chinese soldiers allowed IDPs to cross the river. Currently, IDPs from both Hka Hkye Camp and IDPs from Lagat Yang Camp have been granted permission to temporarily stay in the Chinese town Lung Kawk.
The Kachin IDPs in the Lagat Yang site have now been attacked multiple times by the Burma Army. (Photo credit: Kachin Light)
From November to December 2013, many of these families fled to Lagat Yang from Nam Lim Pa (see FBR reports from November and December 2013, and January and February 2014) following Burma Army attacks there. Kachin Light (WPN) and other relief organizations are doing their best to respond to this situation. Free Burma Rangers has one team in the area both responding to needs and reporting the latest updates on the situation with IDPs.
Families from villages and IDP camp residents, such as those from Lagat Yang IDP Camp and Hka Hkye IDP Camp, have fled due to the fighting, which has intensified in waves since November 2013. (Photo credit: Kachin Light (WPN)).
Thank you and God bless you,
Kachin Free Burma Rangers
