In Kachin State’s Banmaw City, intense fighting between the military council forces and revolutionary forces has escalated, with the military council conducting aerial bombardments using incendiary bombs, resulting in widespread fire damage across the city, according to sources from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and displaced civilians. The battle for Banmaw, which began in December 2024, has now continued for nearly five months with increasing intensity. Most areas of the city have suffered fire damage, primarily due to the military council’s use of aircraft and drones to drop incendiary bombs. On April 29, the city’s economic hub, Thiri Ratana Market, was destroyed by fire following military council airstrikes.
Most residential areas in Banmaw have been affected by the fighting, with homes suffering significant damage. The military council forces have particularly been noted to burn down residential areas whenever they withdraw from their security outposts. Areas including Min Kyaung Kone, Kachin Su, Pension Gone, and Inn Tae Sat have been severely affected, with approximately three-quarters of the city suffering destruction, according to local residents. Currently, combined forces of the KIA and Kachin People’s Defense Force (KPDF) continue their offensive against the military council’s remaining positions at Strategic Command Post 21 and Police Battalion 47.
The revolutionary forces have already captured several strategic locations, including the 7006 Armored Battalion, Tank Battalion, Artillery Unit 366, and Banmaw Airport. Additionally, the military council’s air force base in Myitkyina was attacked with rockets on April 30 during the afternoon. The attack occurred at 12:30 PM, with rockets striking the eastern part of the airfield. KIA frontline sources have confirmed that military council forces in Myitkyina continue to shell the Waingmaw area with heavy artillery, while revolutionary forces frequently target the Myitkyina air base with rocket attacks.
