The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Kachin People’s Defense Force (PDF) seized a Myanmar junta outpost in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, on Wednesday after weeks of attacks.
The gold mining hub Sezin on the border with Sagaing Region was held by junta Light Infantry Battalion 116 and allied Shanni Nationalities Army troops.
Anti-regime forces attacked the outpost and a junta police station in Sezin on April 9. Twenty-three policemen, including the commander, surrendered to the KIA attack.
The regime reportedly provided daily air support and used drones and shelling. Many junta soldiers fled the outpost.
The whole Hpakant-Tamakan-Sezin road is now in anti-regime hands, meaning all three roads to the prized jade hub of Hpakant are held by the KIA and its allies.
Clashes broke out at Sezin in August 2022 when the KIA and Kachin PDFs attempted to seize junta bases and Sezin police station.
The junta conducted aerial bombardments and arson attacks on villages, burning over 400 houses and reportedly killing numerous civilians.
The KIA and its allies also seized a large junta base controlling another main route to Hpakant on April 11 after two days of clashes.
The KIA and its allies have seized 10 junta battalion headquarters and more than 60 outposts in Kachin State since launching an offensive along the Bhamo-Myitkyina road on March 7.
They also control the town of Loije (also known as Lwegel) on the Chinese border with China after seizing outposts along the Bhamo-Momauk-Loije trade road.
On Monday, the KIA and its allies clashed with regime forces in Momauk town, prompting the junta to conduct aerial bombardments and shell the town.
