Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People's Defense Force (PDF) fighters attacked, took over and occupied the Kaseng Taung junta military camp in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, on 7 August.

The combined defence forces launched an attack on the Kaseng Taung junta military camp, in Kaseng Taung village, Hpakant Township at around 5:00 a.m. on 7 August. By 8:30 a.m. they had taken the camp and seized many junta army weapons.

"We seized the camp and then conducted a clearance operation around it. We have seized a large number of weapons and ammunition from Junta soldiers”, said a KIA frontline soldier.

Both sides suffered casualties during the fighting and exact casualty numbers have yet to be confirmed, but no civilians were injured, according to the KIA.

Residents of Kaseng Taung Village said that the junta artillery stationed on the nearby Hpakant Tactical Hill started firing into the village and surrounding areas when the attack started at 5:00 a.m. and continued to fire into the area until midday, well after the fighting had stopped.

According to the KIA, the Kaseng Taung Military Camp is strategically important. It is on the road that runs from Kaseng Taung to the villages of Namhmaw and Tarmahkan and, before the attack, nearly 30 junta soldiers were stationed there.

Recently, defence forces and the KIA have been frequently fighting against the junta in Hpakant Township and the surrounding areas.