Khaing Lu Hla (Roma Mray) — On April 14, 2024, the Myanmar military reportedly killed four young men, including three ethnic Rakhine youths, abandoning their bodies in a public area in Hpakant of Kachin State.

According to a local witness, the victims were killed inside a white van near the Shwe Myanmar gas station, located at the intersection of Ma Shi Ka Taung and Municipal Roads, at approximately 2:00 PM.

The three Rakhine victims were identified as  Ko Min Paing Soe(22),  Ko Sein Kyaw Htay(24), and  Ko Kyaw Lin(22).

All three were residents of Balakha Village in the Aye Thay Thar group of Hpakant Township. The identity of the fourth victim, a local man, has not yet been confirmed.

“They were working in Hpakant as jade scavengers and had gone out to celebrate the Thingyan festival that morning,” a local resident explained. “They encountered the junta forces, who arrested and killed them. The military then callously dumped their bodies in public.”

Among the deceased,  Ko Sein Kyaw Htaywas noted as a young Rakhine social activist.

Speaking to Narinjara News, a Rakhine jade dealer in Hpakant urged residents to remain vigilant during the festival.

“While young people want to celebrate, the junta is unpredictable and continues to carry out arbitrary arrests and killings. They are even shelling villages with heavy weaponry. I urge everyone, regardless of ethnicity, to avoid areas with a military presence and to stay away from alcohol during Thingyan to remain alert.”

The security situation in Hpakant has deteriorated significantly since April 3, following an attack on a strategic military hilltop.

Residents report that the military has launched continuous airstrikes and reinforced its ground troops. Intense fighting between the military and local resistance forces was also reported near Mashikathing on April 13 as military operations intensified.