KIA forces raid police station in Hpakant

KAMAING, BURMA — Early Tuesday morning troops from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) carried out a raid on a federal police station in Kamaing village in western Kachin State's jade rich Hpakant (also Hpakan) township.

Four police officers appeared to have died and three were injured during attack which took place between 4 and 5 am, according to a source close to the Hpakant-based KIA Battalion 6 whose members took part in the raid.

A KIA soldier also died during the exchange of fire, a KIA Battalion 6 officer told the Kachin News Group.

During the raid KIA forces also freed all the prisoners held in the police station, a Kamaing resident said. It is unclear how many prisoners were held in the station's cells at the time of the raid.

According to eyewitnesses the KIA forces fled from the police station with a large amount of captured weapons and ammunition as well as a motorcycle. The police station led by Captain Kyaw Mya Win was particularly unpopular with local residents.

Shortly after the police station was raided government troops stationed at the nearby Hpakant Military Strategic Command launched a barrage of shells at the KIA Battalion 6 base located at Maw Mau Bum, according to local residents. It is unclear whether the government shelling which lasted for 45 minutes injured or killed any KIA personnel.

Local area residents also report that beginning this morning most transportation on the Myitkyina to Hpakant was completely halted following a blockade imposed by the KIA's Battalion 6.

Fighting in the Hpakant area has been quite heavy over the past few weeks. On Dec. 12, an army column captured Lai Nawng Hku post from the KIA Battalion 6, located a few miles northeast of Ingdawgyi Lake (also Nawng Lut). The KIA retook the post yesterday morning after Burma army troops withdrew, according to local villagers.

Over 200 civilians living in and around Lai Nawng post fled their homes after it fell to the Burma army. Few if any have of the local residents have returned to their homes since, according to a local aid worker familiar with the area.