Myitkyina-Mandalay road section which was closed for six days was reopened on the morning of November 22 and traffic are now accessible, according to locals.

“Since yesterday, small vehicles travelled using west road but big vehicles can only access now. Indaw-Mawlu road section was re-opened since yesterday afternoon. Travellers experienced many hardships along the way and commodities were destroyed. If this kind of situation frequently occurs, Kachin State will disappear in the future,” said a driver from Mohnyin.

Myitkyina-Mandalay road section was closed since November 16 as the clashes between Tatmadaw and the combined forces of KIA/PDF broke out.

Some travellers said that they feared their lives while they were stranded because there were no phone line connection and unable to make phone calls and at the same time, they heard gunfire. They couldn’t sleep on the way.

At present, small vehicles can access on the Myitkyina-Mandalay road section and small passenger lines are also preparing to operate as usual according to an owner of a small passenger line. While the temporary closure of the road, high prices of commodities and fuel as well as shortage of commodities occurred, according to sources.