Voices of Displaced People Who Fled from Hpakant Area towards Myitkyina under White Flags

Pajau Media

October 1, 2025

In Hpakant area, although there has been no direct fighting in recent days, the military council has been firing heavy weapons daily, causing widespread civilian casualties and deaths. Meanwhile, military council troops have taken positions at Hpakant’s strategic locations such as Lone Khin mining factory, as well as in villages including Maw Wan Lay, Maw Wan Gyi, Maw Maw Layang, Ahmaik pone, Taung Pyo, Sharaw Hka, Motaung, San Chyoi, and Yuma.

They have also occupied Lone Khin Nammahpya Pagoda, Lepyin School, Hmau Si Saba Pagoda Hill, Mashi Khtaung Yae Aye Chaung hilltop, and Yaungchi Oo Thila Nunneries.

As a result, the current situation in Hpakant poses a constant threat of arbitrary arrest or execution for civilians. Ongoing shelling and bombardments by the military council continue to cause civilian deaths, and residents say areas near armed group positions are no longer habitable for local people.

Military council troops are deployed along the Hpakant-Lone Khin main road, carrying out checks and searches, disrupting traffic flow. Many civilians from Hpakant have fled with white flags towards Hopin, Mohnyin, Mogaung, and Myitkyina. Locals have warned that unless there is an urgent reason, people should avoid coming to Hpakant.

Due to indiscriminate shelling by the military council, at least 16 civilians have been killed and over 20 injured. Among the dead are three children under 18, according to displaced persons who fled under white flags from Hpakant.

Displaced Person (1)

“The military council keeps sending drones to patrol non stop. When they spot KPDFs (Kachin People’s Defense Force) near civilians, they don’t care whether civilians are harmed or not, they drop drone bombs anyway. In these recent days, both civilians and KPDF fighters have suffered casualties from drone bombs. What frustrates me is that in the news they often just write ‘civilians were hit,’ without showing the real picture. The commanders of both sides are living well, but the ground situation is truly terrible. We don’t even have proper medicine for treatment.”

Displaced Person (2)

“The Hpakant road is not closed completely. Cars from Mandalay and from the lower regions can still come to Hpakant. But sometimes, depending on the fighting, roads before reaching Indaw Town are blocked for one or two days. Some drivers even had to sleep on the road for four nights.”

Displaced Person (3)

“Checkpoints are set up at the entrances and exits of Hpakant. Some roads are temporarily blocked, so traffic has become very light. We also hear many unverified rumors like- which area had mines explode, bombs dropped, soldiers killed, how many civilians died or were injured. It’s hard to know what’s accurate.”

Displaced Person (4)

“Because phone and internet services are cut off, most people are relying on word of mouth and phone messages, which are often full of speculation. Sometimes what people thought was just rumor turns out to be true. So when you see something on Facebook, you can’t immediately dismiss it as false. Right now, due to internet communication difficulties, it’s very hard to know what’s really happening.”

Vox Pop- Kachin Pyitar