FILE PHOTO: Two armed rebels from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Myanmar. Photo taken on July 28, 2016. The KIA and other insurgents had controlled routes in the north which are important for border trade on the eastern side of the Ayeyawady River, since March 7, 2024. - AFP
YANGON: The armed forces has regained control of some military bases, camps and villages near Bhamo, which were temporarily controlled by the Kachin Indepence Army (KIA), Arakan Army (AA) and People's Defence Force (PDF).
The KIA, AA and PDF have been attacking and temporarily controlling the Bhamo-Tazain-Myothit-Laiza route, Bhamo-Moemauk-Tazain-Laiza route and Bhamo-Moemauk-Lweje route, which are important for border trade on the eastern side of the Ayeyawady River, since March 7, 2024.
They attacked the battalion based in Momauk from April 24, 2024 and the officers and soldiers of the battalion fought back, causing the insurgents to retreat to Momauk and the surrounding area on June 25.
After that, the insurgent groups reinforced their forces, broke into the homes of the people in Momauk, forcibly took away the necessary food and medical supplies, and recruited. On July 24, 2024, they attacked the battalion in Momauk with heavy weapons, drones, and drop bombs. In order to minimise casualties, the security forces had to systematically withdraw to Bhamo on August 18 and join the security forces in Bhamo.
After systematically preparing and organizing in Bhamo, the armed forces columns attacked Momauk again on August 20. While the columns were attacking to retake the battalion in Momauk, the insurgent groups changed the battlefront and attacked the airfield and battalion headquarters in Bhamo, which are supporting with weapons, ammunition and food supplies to the columns attacking Momauk, with the help of the PDF.
They attacked Bhamo from the south and north since December 4, 2024, to completely capture Bhamo. Some of the people in Bhamo had to flee their homes and seek safety.
Similarly, the insurgent groups that had invaded Mansi and temporarily took control of the town also attacked along the Mansi-Bhamo route, resulting in clashes with local security forces south of Bhamo.
In addition, the insurgent groups temporarily stopped the flow of goods in the region due to the blockade of Bhamo's communication routes, causing difficulties and hardships for the remaining locals in the area.
While the government and the military were providing necessary logistics along the Ayeyawady River using large ships to provide food and shelter to local people, insurgent groups took up positions in some villages along the left and right banks of the Ayeyawady River, attacking ships from a distance and dropping bombs using drones.
While security forces from army headquarters and camps around Bhamo have been counter-attacking the insurgent groups, the insurgent groups have been using the public as a human shield and attacking from homes for their protection, so special care has been taken to avoid harming the public and their homes, despite the restrictions.
Insurgent groups have been based in religious buildings, high-rise buildings with concrete roofs, and hospitals and clinics to carry out attacks. Security forces based in military headquarters, security camps and Bhamo Airport in the northeast of Bhamo, took up intermediate defences in stages from January 25 to February 20, 2025, and temporarily withdrew to the local military headquarters in Bhamo to continue their defensive and resist the insurgent groups.
The insurgent groups launched continuous offensives to completely capture Bhamo, but the officers, soldiers of the battalions/units, their family members, and government employees resisted the insurgent groups for eight months from December 2024 to July 2025, preventing Bhamo from falling into their hands. The insurgent groups’ dream of completely capturing Bhamo was halted.
In August 2025, the navy ships accompanying the reinforcements advanced to Bhamo. Despite various difficulties and various blockades by the insurgents, including the loss of two tugboats along the way, they successfully reached and docked at Bhamo port. From August 4, 2025, they advanced in seven columns.
A single line of troops advanced to capture the camp in Nampha village, northeast of Bhamo, through Bhamo University, and continued to march towards Bhamo.
Another single line of troops advanced to Naung Kho and Min Hla wards north of Bhamo. Three lines of troops from the east and one line of troops, which captured Nampha camp, headed towards Bhamo, attacked four military headquarters, a military camp and an airport that were temporarily occupied by the insurgents. Two lines of troops were deployed to counterattack the Kachin areas in Pinsingon, Nyaungpin, Khuntha, and Thasi wards.
The security forces were able to regain control of the headquarters, neighbourhoods, villages, and camp areas around Bhamo, which were temporarily under the control of the insurgent groups between August 4 and September 11, 2025. The insurgents suffered heavy casualties and retreated to the northeast of Bhamo and towards Momauk, where their main forces were located.
The armed forces columns attacked and defeated the enemy to prevent Bhamo from falling into their hands and to recapture the military headquarters. During the operation period from December 4, 2024 to September 11, 2025, 16 major battles and 490 engagements with the insurgents took place, and 163 bodies, 178 weapons, and related equipment were captured from the enemy.
According to independent sources, the insurgents suffered about 4,616 deaths and 4,983 injuries in the clashes, and some officers and other ranks sacrificed their lives.
As the insurgents suffered heavy casualties, some of them returned to the legal fold along with weapons, ammunition and other supplies. The armed forces will continue to clear the area of remaining insurgents in Bhamo. - Eleven Media/ANN
