On Monday, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defense Force – Kachin Region attacked a Burma army camp near Nam Maw and seized a military camp on Kasen Hill.
“Our troops set fire to all buildings at the hilltop camp,” stated a frontline KIA officer. The Burma army soldiers were previously collecting taxes from residents and harassing farmers and travellers, he explained, prompting the groups to attack their camp.
The resistance forces reportedly killed a number of regime soldiers and secured a sizable cache of weaponry when taking the hill from 5 am to 8 am, during which time the regime fired at least 30 shells from the Hpakant strategic hill. Both camps in Kachin State accommodated around 60 soldiers and are only 10 miles from the town of Hpakant in the township sharing the same name. A substantial number of enemies were also reportedly killed in the clashes near Nam Maw. However, KNG couldn’t determine how many soldiers died and what weapons were seized at press time.
A local person, who declined to reveal his true identity for security reasons, indicated that battalions from the Light Infantry Division 33 were stationed in the camps in Hpakant Township. “Nam Maw holds military strategic significance over the Seng Tawng area. Kasen Hill is situated adjacent to Nam Maw, and its military importance is undeniable. From a strategic standpoint, it plays a crucial role in blocking enemy troop movement between Tarmakhan and Hawng Per areas.”
In July, the groups attacked a military checkpoint at the Pan Tin Bridge in Hpakant town, killing at least seven regime soldiers, with many others sustaining injuries.
