After several days of fighting, soldiers from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have successfully captured another camp from the State Administration Council (SAC), this time next to an important bridge in northern Shan State’s Kutkai Township.
KIA’s Battalion 9 (under Brigade 6) initiated the attack on Nam Hkai camp in northern Shan State on Monday, securing it by Thursday morning, as reported by an anonymous frontline Kachin soldier. However, he did not provide details on the casualties suffered by each side.
The camp, named after the bridge it guards, has been fortified with concrete and was built over a decade ago. Nam Hkai Bridge is the only route in this area connecting Namphetka Township to Kutkai Township.
According to a local source also requesting anonymity, various armed groups opposing the Burma army had previously attempted to take the camp without success. The source mentioned, “We expected it would be difficult to attack Nam Hkai camp, but it wasn’t very hard despite its concrete bunkers.”
The camp, situated approximately 100 miles from Namphetka, housed around 100 soldiers who would harass locals by extorting money when they crossed the bridge. Additionally, they occasionally arrested youths on suspicion of supporting the resistance movement against the military government.
Before capturing the Nam Hkai camp, KIA had seized a SAC camp located next to Nam Hkai, situated between Muse and Kutkai towns.
