The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied forces seized the junta’s Infantry Battalion 236 in Bhamo Township, Kachin State on Tuesday, accelerating their push to seize the entire township, where regime forces have suffered heavy losses, according to frontline KIA sources and residents.
On Tuesday, the KIA and allied forces, including the People’s Defense Force under the National Unity Government, captured the base of Infantry Battalion 236 and retook Artillery Battalion 366. The KIA and allies first seized the artillery base early this month, but had to retreat from the position after a few days as junta troops managed to take it back. However, the resistance groups were able to seize it back again along with the infantry battalion base on Tuesday.
They are now intensively attacking the junta’s Military Operations Command 21 (MOC-21), which regime forces are fiercely defending to prevent it from falling into resistance hands, according to frontline sources.
KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu confirmed to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the KIA and allied forces had taken control of nearly two-thirds of Infantry Battalion 236 and Artillery Battalion 366 and expected to secure full control soon.
Along with MOC-21, the KIA and allies are also attacking the township’s remaining junta positions, which include Infantry Battalion 47, a military training school and an anti-aircraft artillery battalion.
The KIA and its allies launched their assault on Bhamo Township on Dec. 4. Since then, the junta has lost Armored Battalion 7006, Tank Battalion 5014, Bhamo Airport, Artillery Battalion 366, Infantry Battalion 236 and many other smaller military and police positions.
Armored Battalion 7006 fell to the KIA on Jan. 24, allowing the ethnic armed group and resistance forces to seize seven armored vehicles. On Jan. 26, the resistance forces took complete control of the airport.
In a series of successful operations since early this month they have seized the tank battalion and a number of artillery battalion bases.
Junta artillery, warplanes and drones are shelling and bombing KIA and allied resistance positions throughout the township. Bhamo is now a ghost town, with almost all inhabitants having fled into rural areas and nearby townships considered safer over the past two months.
Early last month, the KIA and its allies seized Kachin State’s Mansi Township and launched attacks on junta troops treating from the area, inflicting heavy causalities.
To date, the KIA and its allies have seized over 300 junta outposts and bases in Kachin State. They have also occupied around 15 towns and the former Kachin State Special Region 1, a rare-earth mining hub along the Chinese border. The KIA has also seized two northern Shan State towns.
