Residents have reported that the joint forces comprising the Military Council and the militia engaged in a clash with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near a waterfall located at the entrance to Sadung (Sadon) Township in Kachin State.
According to the KIA front line, on May 21, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the KIA intercepted the joint forces of the Military Council troops and militia while they were conducting a combat operation near the waterfall at the entrance to Sadung Township.
A KIA frontline source said, "Shwe Min's militia and Military Council troops are moving forward from the road beneath the waterfall. Our side intercepted and fired."
During the shooting attack, an estimated 50 troops from the joint forces of the Military Council and militia were engaged, while approximately 50 members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) participated in the attack.
The shooting lasted for about an hour, but there is no information available yet regarding the casualties.
On May 8, a customs gate that was authorized by the KIA near Sadung Falls came under attack from the joint forces of the Military Council troops and the U Shwe Min militia.
At the time of the attack, two businessmen and a civilian selling goods near the gate were killed on the spot. A person familiar with the incident stated that the joint forces of the Military Council troops and the U Shwe Min militia immediately took 70,000 Chinese yuan and 500,000 Myanmar kyats from the gate.
On May 9, a joint force of around 35 Military Council troops and U Shwe Min militia arrived at the houses where the individuals who had been previously shot were living, resulting in the KIA returning fire while the houses were being set on fire.
Local residents have reported that prior to the coup in 2021, the customs gate was controlled by the Military Council troops and joint militia forces. However, after the coup, with the permission of the KIA, the gate became a residence for some businessmen who collected money there.
Residents have speculated that the KIA might be engaging in retaliation for the casualties resulting from the attack by the joint forces of the Military Council troops and militia at the gate.
"It is true that there was a fight yesterday. As far as we heard, when the U Shwe Min militia group and soldiers were patrolling towards the waterfall, the KIA shot them. It happened around there. Not too long ago, the Military Council troops fired shots at the gate near that location. Therefore, I think the KIA attacked in retaliation," said a Sadung resident.
The Sadung area, located on the Waingmaw-Kan Paik Ti road, falls under the jurisdiction of the 3rd Battalion in the 5th KIA Brigade. This region has witnessed frequent skirmishes since the coup, involving not only the Military Council battalions but also the Bum Lang Militia and U Shwe Min Militia.
