Again, Yangon Shaking Explosions, Ethnic Armed KIA Again Defeats Myanmar Military Regime Forces

JAKARTA - A number of government buildings in Yangon City were rocked by explosions, while the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed ethnic military wing of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), hit the military regime forces again at the weekend.

Since Friday afternoon, fighting broke out in a number of locations between the KIA and the Myanmar military troops, amid efforts by the regime to increase its strength in the KIA region.

KIA forces attacked a military force (Tatmadaw) near the Hpung Ing-Woi Shi area in Sumprabum Kachin Township, in the northernmost part of the country, at around 7 pm Friday.

“There are at least 30 soldiers from the Myanmar military on the Sumprabum-Myitkyina Highway. Five soldiers from the military were killed and several injured in the attack, "a KIA officer told The Irrawaddy, Monday, April 19.

KIA also attacked the Tatmadaw convoy in Hpakant Township while carrying out a security check on Friday afternoon. KIA said they used mines against the convoy and one truck caught fire, resulting in three regime soldiers being killed.

On Saturday morning, clashes broke out between KIA and Tatmadaw at a security checkpoint jointly guarded by military, police, and immigration officers in Waimaw Township southeast of the capital Kachin.

KIA said they arrested three soldiers during the clashes. All the security guards fled from the security post after KIA launched an attack on the checkpoint.

A resident of Waimaw told The Irrawaddy the fighting took place from 5 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. after military forces approached a village where the KIA base is located.

KIA instructed villagers around the area to stay at home until next Tuesday and not go outside, including to farm and cultivate fields, residents said.

"After KIA withdrew from the checkpoint, the Myanmar army returned. Now, they are conducting intensive security checks on all civilians," the resident added.

Tensions with the military have increased since KIA seized the strategic hill of ALaw Bum near the Chinese border on March 25. The military launched several airstrikes to try to retake the base from KIA.

However, KIA still occupies the base and nearly 100 Myanmar military soldiers including a battalion commander have been killed in heavy fighting.

Separately, a series of explosions were reported to have occurred on Friday evening in the cities of Yangon Mayangone, Kamayut, Sanchaung, and Yakin, according to residents.

The following day, three soldiers of the Myanmar military regime were seriously injured in a series of explosions in Yangon, on Saturday 17 April. Three homemade bombs exploded at around 14.00. at the Public Administration Department office in Yankin Yangon Township, according to a police source.

The source confirmed that three regime troops were seriously injured in a bomb blast at the office, where troops set up a base in March. Of the three injured, one was in critical condition, said a police source.

"The bomb was thrown from outside. We heard a very loud explosion from the explosion. Then, an ambulance took away the injured people," said a resident of Yankin Township.

"A lot of military trucks came after the bomb exploded. No civilians dared get out," he continued.

Another explosion occurred near the gates of a former military parade ground that was once used for Armed Forces Day on U Wisara Street in Yangon, Saturday afternoon at around 16:15 local time.

Witnesses said residents saw smoke and heard loud explosions. Then, regime forces blocked roads and carried out security checks. No one was injured in the explosion, said an eye witness.

After the explosion, on Saturday morning, junta forces carried out extensive searches in residential neighborhoods in the cities of Sanchaung, Ahlone, Kamayut, and Mayangone. Vehicle searches were also carried out in parts of Yangon. Several young people were beaten and arrested during searches, according to eyewitnesses.

The Association for Assistance for Political Prisoners (AAPP) noted that the death toll since the coup of the Myanmar military regime on February 1 had reached around 728 people as of Friday evening local time.

Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in that one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news covering the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.