Cars that had been stranded for days on the highway linking Mandalay in central Myanmar and Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, began being allowed to travel in groups of 10 starting on May 27.
Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded between Tigyaing and Katha towns in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region since May 20 due to fighting.
As clashes along the highway section eased, stranded vehicles began traveling in groups of 10 starting around 10:00 a.m. on May 27, a bus driver told KNG.
“Yes, the road has reopened. Around 10:00 a.m., vehicles were allowed to pass in groups of 10. By about 3:00 p.m., some vehicles had reached Namseeawng Village in Monghnyin Township, Kachin State,” he said.
Vehicles traveling from Mandalay to Kachin State were stranded for days along the Tigyaing–Katha road section and in Katha Town due to clashes that broke out on May 20 and 21 around Katha, Indaw, Maw Luu, Mawhun, and Namseeawng.
Both the junta and resistance forces separately announced the closure of the Mandalay–Myitkyina Road, a key route linking Kachin State with mainland Myanmar, due to ongoing fighting.
A resistance fighter operating along the border between Kachin State and Sagaing Region said that fighting between Katha and Indaw has largely subsided, allowing the road to reopen temporarily.
“Vehicles stuck in Katha Town have been allowed to continue their journeys. They previously could not move due to fighting between Katha and Indaw, but now appear to be resuming travel as the situation has eased somewhat,” he said.
During the road closure, travelers took temporary refuge in monasteries in Katha Town, away from the fighting, while waiting for conditions to improve.
Although vehicles are now cautiously allowed to continue to their destinations, the security situation along the Tigyaing–Katha–Indaw–Maw Luu–Namseeawng route remains uncertain and not fully secure.
Because the security situation in the area is still unstable, all the stranded vehicles cannot be released at once, so they are being allowed to move in small groups.
