Fighting started to break out in the downtown area of Kawlin Township, Sagaing Region, on November 3, but the sounds of heavy weapons and gunfire stopped again yesterday morning, according to local sources.

“Kawlin Township suffered extensive damage by the fighting. There had been air strikes until the night of November 5. However, both sides stopped the shootings since yesterday morning and then no one dare to go outside. As telephone lines and internet were cut off in Kawlin Township, we don't know exactly. Many people were trapped in the downtown area,” said a local from Kawlin Township.

The PDF members had attacked the police stations and security outposts being stationed at the departmental offices in downtown of Kawlin Township since the morning of November 3. So, fighting intensified in Kawlin Township and the Tatmadaw [military] launched airstrikes again, according to the locals.

Although PDF members seized the governmental buildings, there has been ongoing fighting between PDF members and security forces being stationed at Kawlin Township Administration Office.

Later, the PDF members seized the office of Kawlin Township Administration yesterday morning, according to some local media. 

“There have been many casualties during the fighting that started on November 3. No one can collect the bodies on the streets. We can’t say how many bodies there were in Kawlin Township. Although, heavy weapons were fired on two fuel filling stations situated at the exit gate of Wuntho Township, the weapons didn’t hit the fuel filling stations. But, it hit the fuel bowser which exploded and fires were burning nearby houses. Moreover, rice mill was burnt down. During the fighting, there had been airstrikes over the downtown of Kawlin Township at least five times per day. The Kawlin Township was completely damaged. Not only Kawlin Township but also its nearby villages were also burnt down,” said one of locals who already fled to outskirt area of Kawlin Township.

The local PDF members and their allies launched coordinated attacks on the security outposts stationed at the Kawlin Administration Office, police station and some schools since the morning of November 3 and they had taken Kawlin Township in Sagaing Region, after four days of fighting, according to PDFs’ social media and telegram channels.

One of the PDF members told the VOA news agency that the PDF and its allies seized the whole of Kawlin Township around 8am of November 6. When PDF members attacked the Kawlin Administration Office, the security forces left for Wuntho Township. The PDF members carried out the missions at the whole of Kawlin Township and they rescued the trapped people. Two prisoners of war were captured during the mission. But, one out of two died during the capture.

The VOA news agency also reported that the coordinated attacks on security outposts comprised with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Arakan Army (AA), and Kawlin People’s Defense Force and they also rescued 83 political prisoners from the Kawlin police station and seized over 40weapons and over 10,000 ammunitions in the attack.

Although Eleven Media tried to call Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun who is a spokesperson of State Administration Council (SAC) above the case, no one replied.

Similarly, the news agencies raised the questions to the SAC’s information team but they failed. If the SAC reports about the issue, more will be reported.