Two men were killed over the past three days in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.

At around 7:15 a.m. on August 31, locals found a man dead with about 10 stab wounds in Shwe Nyaungbin Ward.

Earlier, at around 2:00 p.m. on August 29, a man was killed during a fight between two friends in Jangmai Kawng Ward.

Locals are feeling increasingly insecure over the uptick in not only robberies and thefts but also knife-related murders in Myitkyina, a woman from the city told KNG.

“The news we hear every day is getting more and more frightening. Mytikyina is slowly turning into a dangerous city. I feel unsafe wherever I go,” she said.

In Myitkyina, two people were stabbed to death, and five others sustained slash wounds over the past week. Most victims of knife-related crimes in Myitkyina are men in their thirties.

These figures come from Myitkyina-based civil rescue organizations and local sources. Although KNG gathered the information as best as possible despite difficult phone and internet connections, the numbers may differ slightly from the actual situation on the ground.

Despite a surge in crimes in Myitkyina, including murders, robberies, and assaults, the junta authorities have taken very little effective action.

Many of the perpetrators remain at large, causing concern among the local population.

“The fact that criminals are still out there makes me constantly worry that I could be next. Even if I don’t get killed, I could still get seriously hurt. Everywhere I go, I feel anxious and stressed,” another Myitkyina resident said.

Locals also suggested that the rise in crimes like theft and robbery is a result of the thriving gambling dens in Myitkyina, which remain firmly under the junta’s control.

After the coup, Kachin State became one of the conflict hotspots, forcing many people from rural areas to seek refuge in Myitkyina, which is relatively calmer than their hometowns.