According to KIA military sources, a combined force of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Shwegu People’s Defense Force attacked a military convoy providing security for the military council’s naval fleet in Shwegu Township, Kachin State, resulting in the death of 17 military council troops. The clashes occurred on July 26 and 27 when the military council’s naval fleet was moving upstream along the Ayeyarwady River and entered Shwegu Township. The attack targeted a military column of over 300 soldiers who were providing security for the naval fleet.
During the engagement, one military vessel was destroyed by fire. Currently, the naval fleet has continued its journey from Shwegu toward Banmaw, with military council aircraft providing air cover and conducting bombing operations along the river route. Due to these military activities, most civilians living along the riverbanks and in urban areas have been forced to evacuate to safer locations. The military council’s naval fleet departed from Mandalay port and has been moving upstream along the Ayeyarwady River since early July, split into two groups.
The People’s Defense Forces in Shwegu Township and throughout Banmaw District have been continuously issuing warnings to ensure civilian safety in response to the naval fleet’s movements. According to local residents, the vessels have been advancing with intermittent stops, and people must remain especially vigilant due to airstrikes targeting not only riverside villages but also urban areas. The military operations have caused significant displacement of civilian populations, with local humanitarian workers reporting that people must remain constantly alert due to the ongoing aerial surveillance and bombing campaigns by military aircraft.
