Residents of Putao Township fear fighting after the regime moved additional troops and weapons into the remote region in northern Kachin State. This week, over 200 Burma Army (BA) soldiers and 40 trucks arrived in Putao town.

“No military convoy has been sent to Putao for two years, but the BA have sent more troops here while calling for peace talks,” said a local who asked that his name not be published.

In the past, only a few trucks made it to the north to supply food to soldiers stationed there. But starting in 2021, after the coup, more trucks and soldiers have come to the town.

“If there is fighting, all roads will be blocked and that can affect our daily survival because the cost of petroleum and food will go up,” said another anonymous source.

Many essential items are delivered by lorry to this isolated area in northern Burma.

“Some people have started hoarding food,” said a youth who wished to remain anonymous. But many people are poor and they can't save much, he said, while those who are wealthier have bought a month worth of food.

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the allied People's Defence Force ambushed the convoy three times after it left Myitkyina for Putao on 11 May. Last week, the convoy was ambushed by the KIA 40 miles outside Putao, killing several regime fighters and causing two trucks to plunge into a ravine.

From February to March, the highway was blocked by fighting, leading to a sharp increase in food and fuel prices.