According to KIA sources, five military council guard posts have been captured and a battalion commander along with his team were taken prisoner during the ongoing battle for Banmaw city in Kachin State. The battle for Banmaw intensified from April 25, with KIA and KPDF forces escalating their offensive operations. During these engagements, they successfully captured five guard posts belonging to Strategic Operations Command 21 (SOC-21) and managed to take the military battalion commander and his unit as prisoners of war.
The resistance forces have now reached the central guard post of SOC-21. Despite continuous aerial bombardment by the military, revolutionary forces continue to advance their positions. The offensive to capture Banmaw city, led by KIA-coordinated allied forces, began on December 4, 2023, and fierce fighting has continued for nearly five months to the present day. The military has been responding with airstrikes, while resistance forces have reported both casualties and strategic gains in their operations.
Simultaneously, in Kachin State’s Hpakant township, revolutionary forces led by the KIA have been conducting intercept operations against advancing military columns. These operations have resulted in significant casualties for the military forces, with resistance groups securing various weapons, ammunition, and military equipment. Since April 24, military columns advancing from Moekaung and Karmine areas with hundreds of troops have prompted the closure of all routes to Hpakant.
Intense battles have erupted along the Myitkyina-Moekaung-Karmine road and around Yaykadar village. Additionally, fighting has broken out along the Hopin-Indawgyi road section as military columns continue their offensive operations. Throughout these engagements, the military has been conducting repeated aerial attacks, while revolutionary forces maintain both defensive and offensive positions. The resistance forces continue their operations despite the military’s use of airpower, demonstrating their determination to maintain control of strategic positions in the region.
