Several areas of the city are on fire after the military junta has regained control of Hsipaw

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The military junta has regained control of Hsipaw, a town on the northeastern trade route in northern Shan State, on the evening of October 16, according to local residents.

“The military junta entered Hsipaw last night. We only found out about their arrival at 8 p.m. last night,”

A local man told BBM. As of today, October 17, the city of Hsipaw was open for normal traffic except for areas of the sidelines, and the Hsipaw Bridge leading to Lashio was not closed and was open for traffic until the morning, he said.

“Yesterday evening, departmental offices were on fire. There was arson. The Hsipaw Hotel started burning from the roof up. I think it was firing a heavy weapon,”

another local said. The Hsipaw Police Station, the General Office, the Land Registry Office, the Agriculture Office, The fire was first reported at 3:30 p.m. on October 16, and it burned for about half an hour before being extinguished by heavy rain.

The Hsipaw Hotel was also reported to have been burning until around 8 p.m.

According to eyewitnesses, four people in civilian clothes set fire to some departmental offices and then fled.

The Information and Public Relations Department under the military junta reported that when they arrived at the Hospital Toll Gate on the evening of October 16, they found smoke in the city and entered the city to clear it. The Prison Department, General Administration Office, Land Registry Office, Hsipaw Hotel and other departmental buildings and homes were burned down by TNLA, DPLA and PDF groups and fled.