Kokang repeats Lashio tactics in Hseinwi
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Htet Nadi/Thuta Kyaw (NP News) - Aug 11
The Kokang armed group is merely employing identical strategies in Hseinwi that it previously used during its withdrawal from Lashio, a reliable source familiar with the situation told The Statesman.
It has designated Hseinwi Township as a district, and its media outlet, The Kokang, has reported that Hseinwi is rapidly developing into a significant trading hub between Myanmar and China's Yunnan Province.
The armed group has also launched propaganda campaigns that multiple checkpoints have been established throughout Hseinwi Township and that import and export activities are being carried out through the township.
On the other hand, credible reports indicate that the Kokang forces are preparing for imminent withdrawal from Hseinwi, and the above-mentioned source reveals that the current posture of pretending to be maintaining a strong presence mirrors the deceptive tactics previously employed in Lashio.
"I think they're engaged in deliberate deception. They will definitely withdraw. Their strategy involves extracting maximum financial resources from locals before their inevitable departure. Local businesses are already experiencing severe disruptions. It is impossible for the Kokang to stay in Hseinwi. They will initially replicate their Lashio approach to mislead other armed groups, then run like hell,” he said.
Another source asserted that reports of the Kokang's planned withdrawal from Hseinwi are true, but he can’t understand why they are pretending not to leave.
“It mirrors their behaviour back in Lashio as if they weren’t really retreating, so it’s hard to say. As far as I know, they’ve already relocated their equipment to alternative locations. Withdrawal appears certain, but we’ll have to wait and see,” he explained.
The Kokang group has reportedly opened six checkpoints across the designated Hseinwi district, claiming that all these facilities operate continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.