The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies say they have seized a militia base in Khaunglanhpu Township, opening a new front in Putao District on the Chinese border.
Lahisen camp, captured by the KIA and allied Kagabu People’s Force (KPF), is between Tsawlaw and around 96km from Khaunglanhpu town.
Around 70 junta troops were deployed at Lahisen.
The junta called the camp “Lahisen Ma Sote Tan”, meaning “no retreat”.
KPF spokesman Saw Nwe Khun Hseng Kham told The Irrawaddy that some junta troops had been detained and escapees were being hunted.
He said the KPF had tried to negotiate with the militias at Lahisen since capturing Lansel village in early November when the combatants retreated to the junta camp. The village, which was held by the Khaunglanhpu militias, is adjacent to Kachin State Special Region 1.
“We tried many times to persuade them to surrender but they shelled us instead. We were negotiating but they attacked us, leaving us with no choice but to attack,” he said.
Saw Nwe Khun Hseng Kham threatened to fight anyone who cooperated with the regime.
“We don’t want to fight our brethren in Putao. But we are determined to root out the military regime and we will fight anyone who cooperates with it,” the spokesman added.
Putao borders China to the east and India to the west.
“We have captured Special Region 1. We are determined to drive all junta troops out of Kachin State. Our determination remains strong. It won’t stop,” said Saw Nwe Khun Hseng Kham.
Khaunglanhpu on the Mali River is separated to the north from China by 3,000-meter mountains and the sources of the Mali and Salween rivers.
Machanbaw and Nawngmun townships are to the west and Tsawlaw and Sumprabum to the south.
The KIA has already captured Chipwe, Tsawlaw and Kanpiketi towns, which are known as Kachin State Special Region 1.
The 2018-19 census estimated Khaunglanhpu Township’s population at 14,304, mostly from the Kachin, Rawang and Lisu communities, with some Bamar and Shan residents.
Around seven junta battalions, including Infantry Battalions 137, 128 and 46 and Rawang People’s Militia led by Tang Gu Tan, are active in the area.
Notorious warlord Zahkung Ting Ying, who controlled the special region, and Tang Gu Tan both broke away from the KIA. They founded the New Democratic Army Kachin before Tang Gu Tan left. He is also a member of the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party.
Tang Gu Tan established the pro-military Rebellion Resistance Force with his Rawang followers, which was rebranded as the Khaunglanhpu People’s Militia in 2009.
After the 2021 coup, Tang Gu Tan’s militia forcibly recruited civilians, citing the threat of the KIA and KPF.
KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy that Tang Gu Tan was asked to defect from the junta and work together for regional development.
“We don’t want our ethnic brethren to stand with our enemy. We told militias and border forces to defect to us. But they didn’t listen, so we took military action,” he said.
Khaunglanhpu was controlled by previous military regimes which promised development in the remote town. Naw Bu said the KIA previously had a limited presence in Putao but recently launched operations to consolidate its control of the district.
The KIA and KPF captured Sumprabum in May after defeating an operation overseen by Infantry Battalion 46 based in Putao.
