Concentrated SAC attacks along trade highways during Operation 1027 highlight risk of premature CMEC investment

Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation

Concentrated SAC attacks along trade highways during Operation 1027 highlight risk of premature CMEC investment

April 11, 2024

The concentration of air and artillery attacks by the SAC military regime along the main trade highways in five townships of northern Shan State during Operation 1027 highlights clearly the risks of proceeding prematurely with investment in the China Myanmar Economic Corridor.

Mapping of SAC airstrikes and shelling attacks in Muse, Kutkhai, Hsenwi, Kunlong and Lashio townships from the start of Operation 1027 on October 27, 2023, until the ceasefire between the SAC and the Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BHA) on January 11, 2024, shows that these attacks are concentrated along the Muse-Hsenwi-Lashio highway and the Hsenwi-Chin Shwe Haw highway – the two main trade routes from northern Shan State into China.

The SAC attacks inflicted at least 180 civilian casualties and damaged over 300 buildings in towns and villages along these trade routes in the five townships. Tens of thousands of civilians were displaced, some of whom still do not dare return home for fear that fighting will break out again. The SAC still controls the towns of Lashio and Muse, and remains in active conflict with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which controls a section of the Muse-Hsenwi highway. Civilians in all areas continue to suffer from landmines laid during the recent conflict.

While an agreement was reached between the regime and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) to re-open the Chin Shwe Haw border crossing on March 11, there is no guarantee of security along the highway to Lashio, where fighting broke out between the MNDAA and SAC on March 26. Since the end of March, the SAC has been sending in hundreds of armed reinforcements to Muse and Lashio by helicopter.

Amid the ongoing conflict, it would be extremely risky to proceed with investment to develop the China Myanmar Economic Corridor, in particular the planned Muse-Mandalay high-speed railway, which runs directly through areas of intense SAC bombardment. Yet, according to recent news reports, the SAC regime is moving ahead to seek a loan from China to implement this US$8.9 billion project.

Details of SAC airstrikes, shelling and shooting causing civilian casualties/damage in Muse township during Operation 1027

The 3BHA launched attacks on SAC outposts near the border towns of Panghsai and Mong Ko at the outset of Operation 1027. In response, SAC indiscriminately fired artillery shells from the 105 Mile trade zone towards Panghsai, damaging five houses on October 30 (with one shell landing on the Chinese side of the border in Wanding), and killing one civilian on November 1. This failed to prevent the 3BHA from seizing initial control of Panghsai on November 2; SAC troops then tried to reoccupy Panghsai, leading to SAC shelling again into Panghsai, which killed a civilian on November 19, but the 3BHA managed to regain control of Panghsai on the same day.

Meanwhile, the SAC used airstrikes to try and prevent the 3BHA from seizing Mong Ko. An airstrike early in the morning of November 4 killed five civilians, including three young children, in Shinkyaike village, close to Mong Ko town. However, on November 7, the 3BHA managed to seize control of Mong Ko town.

On November 16, the 3BHA began attacking SAC troops based at the 105 Mile trade zone. The SAC  responded with airstrikes and indiscriminate shelling into surrounding villages as well as into Muse town itself.  Between November 19 and December 11, fifteen civilians in this area were killed and eight injured by SAC air and artillery attacks. Two civilians, a man and a woman, were also shot dead on November 28 by SAC troops as they were trying to escape from 105 Mile village by motorbike. Finally, on December 15, the 3BHA were able to drive SAC troops out of their bases at the 105 Mile village, and seize control of this key trade hub on the Muse-Lashio highway..

Even after their 105 Mile bases had been seized, SAC troops continued shelling into the area from their positions in Muse. On December 26, SAC troops in Muse fired shells into 105 Mile village, killing three civilians and injuring five. Civilians also continued to suffer from landmines laid during the conflict, with at least six men and one woman injured by landmines while going to farm or collect firewood around Muse by the end of January 2024.

Details of SAC airstrikes, shelling and shooting causing civilian casualties/damage in Kutkhai township during Operation 1027

The 3BHA did not launch attacks in Kutkhai township on October 27, but on that day SAC IB 123 troops at Namphakka indiscriminately shelled into the village, killing two civilians, injuring five others and damaging five houses.

On October 30, 2023, the 3BHA attacked the SAC post at Nam Khai bridge between Kutkhai and Namphakka, but did not launch further attacks against the SAC in Kutkhai till December 20.

In the first week of November, despite there being no fighting in the area, SAC aircraft bombed Kaleng village, Ho Kho village and Namphakka village in Kutkhai township, killing three men and injuring three other civilians. SAC aircraft also bombed the Mong Jee and Tamongngaen tracts in eastern Kutkhai– where the 3BHA was fighting pro-regime militia — causing about 5,000 villagers to flee into the jungle and to nearby churches for shelter.

On November 12, even though there was no fighting in the area, SAC troops at the IB 123 base at Namphakka indiscriminately shelled along the Muse-Hsenwi highway. The shells landed in Maw Hit village killing two villagers.

On November 13, a day after fighting between SAC and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops at Takkanai village, 20 kilometers east of Namphakka, SAC launched an airstrike on Takkanai village, injuring one villager and damaging several houses.

Between November 18 and December 10, SAC troops in Kutkhai and Namphakka continued shelling from their bases and launching airstrikes in Kutkhai town and villages along the Hsenwi-Muse highway, killing six civilians and injuring fiteen, including five children staying at a hostel in Namphakka.

SAC troops in Kutkhai town also arbitrarily shot dead two civilians and injured another two who were on the street during December 15-19, 2023.

On December 20, heavy fighting broke out between the SAC troops and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Kutkhai town. Between December 20 and January 3, 2024, due to SAC shelling and airstrikes in Kutkhai town and nearby villages, six civilians were killed and ten injured. On January 7, the TNLA took control of Kutkhai town; on the same day a SAC airstrike on the town damaged 15 houses.

Meanwhile, fighting had broken out between KIA and SAC troops in Namphakka tract on December 29. After nearly a month of fighting, the KIA was able to seize the SAC’s IB 123 base on January 24, 2024, and take control of Namphakka. During the fighting, the SAC launched multiple airstrikes on Namphakka, causing about 2,000 Namphakka residents to flee their homes. Due to the communications blackout by the SAC in the Namphakka area, SHRF has not been able to confirm details of the impacts of the airstrikes in Namphakka, but local sources have reported that about 30 civilians killed and 20 injured, while about 500 houses were damaged, including at least 25 houses burned to ashes.

Details of SAC airstrikes, shelling and shooting causing civilian casualties/damage in Hsenwi township during Operation 1027

The location of Hsenwi town, at the junction of the two main transport routes to the China border, made it a strategic target for the 3BHA and its PDF allies from the outset of Operation 1027.  Heavy fighting in Hsenwi town on October 27 caused many residents to take shelter in local temples, and SAC troops at the Military Operations Command (MOC) #16 base south of the Namtu river began shelling into the town and nearby villages, including Kawng Hor village where IDPs were taking shelter at Kyaung Kham temple. On October 28 alone, SAC shelling damaged over 50 houses, killing one civilian and injuring two.

On October 29, the 3BHA was able to seize control of Hsenwi town, but not of the SAC’s bases south of the town, including the MOC 16 base. The SAC then shelled and used helicopters to shoot into the town and surrounding villages, causing more local residents to flee their homes. That night, shells from the SAC MOC 16 base landed in Khu Weing and Daek Yek villages, south of the town, burning about 20 local houses to ashes.

Meanwhile, the SAC troops had started using about 3,000 IDPs sheltering at Kyaung Kham monastery in Kawng Hor village next to their MOC 16 base as human shields — not allowing the IDPs to go out, checking their smart phones, and blocking humanitarian aid to the IDPs. This was despite the fact that shells fired indiscriminately from the SAC MOC 16 base were landing directly in Kawng Hor village. Between October 28 and 31, three men were killed by SAC shells in Kyaung Kham IDP camp. One of the men died from blood loss because he was unable to access medical treatment after being injured.

From the end of October till the first week of January 2024, SAC troops continued shelling, bombing and indiscriminately shooting into the town and surrounding villages. On January 7, 2024 the 3BHA were able to seize control of all the SAC’s MOC 16 and other bases south of Hsenwi town.

The total number of civilian casualties from SAC attacks in Hsenwi township during Operation 1027 was seventeen killed and twenty-seven injured, with over 165 buildings damaged.

Details of SAC airstrikes causing civilian casualties/damage in Kunlong township during Operation 1027

The 3BHA and PDF allies launched attacks on SAC police posts at Chin Shwe Haw on the Chinese border on October 27, and in the following days attacked SAC military camps in Kunlong township along the Hsenwi-Chin Shwe Haw highway.

On October 31, the 3BHA and allies overran the SAC’s IB 143 base at Karn Mong, about 20 kilometers southwest of Kunlong town, and by November 2, had seized control of the Kunlong-Chin Shwe Haw highway east of the Salween river. On November 6 fierce fighting broke out around the SAC bases near Kunlong town west of the Salween, until on November 9 the 3BHA announced seizure of these bases.

During this time, the SAC launched airstrikes around Kunlong town. On October 30, a SAC bomb landed on Wan Kho village beside the old Kunlong bridge over the Salween River, killing one civilian and damaging his house. The old Kunlong bridge was also damaged by bombing. On October 31, a SAC bomb killed another civilian at Mark Kham village, south of Kunlong town.

China funded the construction of a new Kunlong bridge over the Salween, which was completed in 2023, but the official opening ceremony, scheduled for November 2023, did not take place due to Operation 1027.

Kunlong township

Details of SAC airstrikes, shelling and shooting causing civilian casualties/damage in Lashio township during Operation 1027

From October 27, 2023, heavy fighting broke out between 3BHA and SAC troops at the main toll gate on the Lashio-Muse highway at Ho Buek, about 10 kilometers north of Lashio town, and along the Lashio-Mong Yaw road east of the town. The fighting spread to villages in the north and east of the town, including Mong Gaed tract, near the Salween River, where several SAC battalions were based. SAC troops launched airstrikes and shelled indiscriminately into villages around the town and in the east of the township.

By the end of November, the 3BHA was able to seize the SAC bases at Mong Gaed and Mong Yaw, and stopped its offensive operations around Lashio town, but the SAC continued shelling and launching airstrikes in the area until early January. From October 27 to January 7, SAC airstrikes and artillery attacks from its Northern Regional Command and other bases in the town, killed eighteen civilians, injured six, and damaged over 40 buildings in villages surrounding Lashio.

SAC troops also randomly shot at civilians out on the street. From November 3 to December 16, 2023, SAC troops shot dead seven civilians who were walking outside or riding motorbikes, one in Nam Pawng village, and six in Lashio town, including a mentally disturbed man searching through trash in Quarter 3.

From the start of Operation 1027 until the ceasefire on January 11, over 20,000 residents of surrounding villages and townships came to take shelter in temples and churches in Lashio town. Most of these IDPs have now returned home, but about 500 still remain.

Contact:

Sai Hor Hseng                 66 99 246 5673/  66 94 728 6696      Signal  (Shan, English)

Ying Leng Harn                 66 99 289 6080                                          Signal (Burmese)

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