The junta’s military recaptured the town of Kawlin in upper Sagaing Region from the civilian National Unity Government on Monday after almost 10 days of intense fighting, an anti-regime group said.
Junta forces have “retaken the entire town,” a member of Kawlin Revolution told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday. Kawlin Revolution shares township news online, including the movement of regime troops and atrocities committed by them.
The anti-regime group also said in a statement posted online early today that regime troops had taken the town after clashes with resistance forces on Monday.
On Feb. 3, five columns of regime troops from three nearby townships approached Kawlin from multiple directions and launched offensives to recapture it.
Heavy clashes between junta and resistance forces were reported in several areas of the township.
Last Thursday, regime forces entered the town and continued fighting People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), armed wings of the civilian government.
Kawlin was seized by PDFs and the Kachin Independence Army on Nov. 6 last year. The junta responded to the loss of the town with a bombing campaign that injured more than a dozen civilians in the town and destroyed homes.
The regime announced on Saturday that its ground troops had retaken the town after 18 battles with PDF and KIA troops. Its ground troops had support from artillery units and airstrikes, the regime said.
The junta’s attempt to retake another town in Sagaing Region failed last month.
On Jan. 26, about 400 junta troops launched attacks to retake the town of Shwe Pyi Aye in Sagaing’s gold-mining hub, Homalin Township, from PDFs. They abandoned their mission and fled for safety after suffering heavy losses during 10 days of fierce resistance attacks.
