Eight Myanmar Navy vessels reach Kachin State’s Bhamo; Sixty-three townships placed under martial law

Eight Myanmar Navy vessels reach Kachin State’s Bhamo

Sources in the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) told DVB that eight of 17 Burma Navy vessels travelling upstream along the Irrawaddy River arrived in Bhamo Township, southern Kachin State, amid ongoing fighting with resistance forces on Friday. Bhamo is located 118 miles (190 km) south of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina and 56 miles (90 km) southwest of the KIA headquarters at Laiza.

The KIA source told DVB that at least 24 residents living in villages along the river were killed by retaliatory attacks and airstrikes carried out by the Burma Navy, and Air Force jets accompanying the convoy, since the fleet departed from Mandalay Region on July 17. The KIA claimed that it had managed to destroy five naval vessels from July 27 to Aug. 1. It launched an offensive against regime forces over control of Bhamo on Dec. 4.