Kachin Independence Army (KIA) ambushed a Tatmadaw column travelling on the Lido Road. This was the latest in a series of attacks on soldiers protecting a supply convoy on its way to Tanai Township.
According to a local source knowledgeable about the incident, the KIA attacked 120 Tatmadaw soldiers with a landmine between Warazup and Nawng Mee villages in Hpakant Township at around 10am on Thursday 7 October. After the ambush, both sides exchanged fire for 45-minutes.
”We could hear heavy weapons being fired, but I don’t know if there were causalities,” the man told KNG. Burma Army (BA) launched artillery strikes on nearby villages with artillery where the KIA soldiers were believed to be hiding, the source explained. Fortunately, no one was injured when two shells hit Warazup.
Upon arrival at Nawng Mee village, the BA quickly set up a checkpoint along the road to interrogate all travellers in the area. According to locals, the column continued towards Mogaung town.
The Tatmadaw had deployed 500 soldiers to protect the vehicles travelling north on Lido Road, and the KIA has attacked them several times since the end of September.
Forty vehicles arrived at the base of Infantry Battalion-297 in Shaduzup on 20 September. Another 20 vehicles joined them on 30 September. After resting, the convoy continued north where it was attacked by the KIA several times, resulting in many BA deaths, locals told KNG.
A total of 43 vehicles reached Tanai so far.
