Schools in Hpakant Town, Kachin State, have been temporarily closed due to heightened military tensions in the area.

A majority of schools in the town have announced they will be closed for roughly a week starting September 2, a Hpakant resident said.

“Pretty much all the schools, even the government high school, have shut down. They said it’s just temporary, because of the current military situation,” he told MNJ.

Besides the government high school in Hpakant Town, other government schools, middle schools, and even some religious-run schools are closed right now.

Some residents have been evacuated as junta troops move into Mashikaton, a ward in Hpakant Town, according to local sources.

“I heard some people from Mashikaton have gone over to Yayayechaung Ward to take shelter,” said a woman from Hpakant Town.

There are also reports that the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which is fighting the junta, has urged residents of Mashikaton to temporarily move to Yayayechaung because of the tense military situation. MNJ is still verifying this information.

Fighting has been happening nearly every day since junta troops started moving into Hpakant Township in late May.

The junta is carrying out operations to retake all of Hpakant Township, known for its high-quality jade, while the KIA and its ally, the Kachin People’s Defence Force (Kachin PDF), are mounting a joint resistance.