A large junta force stationed itself in Tanghpe (Damphet) Village in the Myitsone area of Myitkyina Township, Kachin State on 3 February 2025 and is now moving through the jungle towards the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) held Sumprabum Township.
Tanghpe Village lies about 45 km (28 miles) north of the Kachin capital, Myitkyina City, in the Myitsone area next to the confluence of the N’Mai and Mali Kha rivers where they join to form the Irrawaddy River.
The border of Sumprabum Township lies approximately 37 km (23 miles) to the north of Tanghpe Village. The KIA took control of Sumprabum Town, the administrative centre of Sumprabum Township, on 5 May 2024. Currently, it controls all of Sumprabum Township, including the main road connecting the junta controlled Myitkyina City and Putao Town, the administrative centre of Putao Township to the north of Sumprabum Township.
Initially, junta troops started moving north from the Myitsone area towards Sumprabum Township along the Myitkyina to Putao road on 29 January 2025, but they had to retreat after KIA forces intercepted them on 1 and 5 February.
This led to the junta army reinforcing its positions in the Myitsone area on 3 February 2025, including at Tanghpe Village church. It also modified its tactics and rather than using the road it is is now attempting to move towards Sumprabum Township through the jungle.
A Myitsone area resident said to KNG: “The military situation is tense, and locals are staying vigilant. The junta has heavily reinforced its presence in the Myitsone area, with around 1,000 soldiers estimated to be stationed in and around Tanghpe Village. The Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) church in the village is now filled with military trucks, and many trenches have been dug throughout the village. The tactical operations commander is personally overseeing the preparations. The junta has been attempting to advance north of Myitsone, but has been stopped by KIA interceptions. Now, they are trying to advance via the jungle route instead of the main road.”
Since 3 February in the areas around Myitsone, the junta has also been ramping up its use of aircraft to protect its columns and carrying out indiscriminate artillery shelling of areas in an effort to hit KIA troops preparing ambushes.
At the same time, it also started carrying out more checks and restricting the movement of villagers in the villages of Palana and Nawngnang about 8 km (5 miles) and 11 km (7 miles) respectively south of Tanghpe Village, according to a Myitkyina Township resident.
He said: “We have noticed some unusual situations in recent days. The activities of junta columns in Tanghpe Village have increased significantly. Junta troops are deployed along the road from the Palana Village intersection to Nawngnang and Jaw Bum, conducting strict checks on pedestrians. Soldiers stationed at a checkpoint near the gas station in the 8-Mile area are focusing on checking vehicles passing through. We have also observed a military truck traveling regularly from that area to Tanghpe Village every day.”
On 4 February, the junta launched four airstrikes on KIA controlled areas to the north of Tanghpe Village, including the villages of Tiyangzug and Woi Shi in Sumprabum Township, resulting in at least two KIA casualties.
Remarking on what was happening in the Myitsone area a a Kachin military analyst said: “My guess is that the junta is carrying out these actions to protect Myitkyina City. It seems it is conducting military operations to retake as much territory as possible north of Myitsone, but the main objective appears to be ensuring the security of Myitkyina City. After the KIA launched an offensive on Bhamo Town, the junta seems to be making relentless preparations to prevent a similar situation from occurring in Myitkyina.”
On 7 February, junta aircraft carried out three bombing runs over Samdung Village in Putao District, where KIA Brigade 1 is based.
At the same time as it was escalating its activities to the south of Sumprabum Township the junta also escalated its activities to the north of the township.
In the second week of February it moved troops from Putao Town to Longshayang Village in Putao Township, closer to Sumprabum Township. This caused locals to flee from the area.
Locals living along the Myitkyina to Sumprabum to Putao highway, a vital transportation artery in Kachin State, are growing increasingly anxious due to the junta's military activities.
