A column of the Military Council’s advance towards Dawthponeyan Township on the Myitkyina-Bhamo Road in Kachin State, coupled with arbitrary shelling, has prompted residents in two wards of the township to flee.

Departing from Konelaw on the evening of September 6th, the column reached Dawthponeyan by approximately 6:00 AM the following day, resulting in the exodus of residents in the Pankaunghum and Longjonyang wards.

"It seems that the column will enter Dawthponeyan and stay there. We've been hearing constant artillery fire since this morning, although there hasn't been any actual fighting, just shelling. They may have cleared a path for their advance. They didn't take the main road; they came from the west of Dawthponeyan, causing residents in Pankaunghum and Longjonyang to flee”, a local told KNG.

The column consisted of more than 100 troops, riding in seven military trucks, and approached Dawthponeyan from the western side.

That Military Council column was ambushed by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) at Teinphyalan, the upper part of Konelaw, around noon on September 7th.

It is anticipated that the column will unite with the 142nd Infantry Division under the Military Council stationed at Dawthponeyan. Additionally, there is concern that civilians could be at risk of harm due to indiscriminate shelling along the route where the Junta troops are advancing or potentially being apprehended by the soldiers.

Initially, the convoy comprised 10 military trucks, transporting soldiers, ammunition, and supplies from Bhamo, with its initial destination being Konelaw. However, before reaching Konelaw, the convoy faced a preemptive attack by KIA. Due to this attack, when the column continued its journey from Konelaw to Dawthponeyan, only 7 military trucks remained, according to local sources.

Furthermore, a 26-vehicle military convoy that departed from Bhamo had already reached Dawthponeyan during the second week of August.