Fighting escalates as Myanmar army reaches outskirts of Hpakant

Regime troops advancing from the east have reached Lone Hkin village tract outside the jade-producing city of Hpakant, Kachin State, leading to clashes on Wednesday morning with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies, locals said. 

With KIA-led forces in control of all major roads into Hpakant, effectively besieging it, troops have been advancing to reconnect with and provide an outlet for other junta troops trapped in isolated outposts inside the city. 

Some 600 troops initiated their approach to Hpakant along the Hpakant-Kamaing road on April 23. A column of around 100 reached the village tract of Lel Pyin on the eastern edge of Hpakant on Tuesday of this week.