Intense fighting broke out when Junta the troops from the hill-based tactical command in Sadung infiltrated the territory of the KIA's 3rd Battalion, and these clashes were further intensified by airstrikes conducted by the Military Council, according to Colonel Naw Bu, the information officer of KIA (Central).
"Their military operations began on June 26th in Sadung with the aim of controlling the entire Sadung-Kanpaikti Road. We engaged and several exchanges occurred. They also deployed fighter jets. The current situation indicates a strong likelihood of continued fighting in the area”, Colonel Naw Bu told KNG.
The clashes with KIA ignited when the Military Council's 384th Light Infantry Battalion, in collaboration with the Shwe Min militia, moved towards the Sadung-Kanpaikti Road, claiming to conduct area clearance operations. A week-long conflict has been unfolding between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Shwe Min militia affiliated with the Military Council along the Sadung-Kanpaikti Road in the Waingmaw Province of Kachin State, source close to KIA said.
During the skirmishes, casualties were reported on both sides. On July 1st, at approximately 4:00 pm, the Military Council conducted two aerial bombardments within the territory of the KIA's 3rd Battalion. In retaliation, KIA responded by targeting and shelling the Shwe Min Militia members stationed in Wuyang village at around 11:00 PM the same night.
The specific details regarding casualties on both sides during the ongoing conflict remain unknown. At the moment intermittent fighting continues to take place along the Sadung-Kanpaikti Road.
The Sadung-Kanpaikti Road falls within the operational area of the KIA's 3rd Battalion. In a volatile incident in May, the Shwe Min Militia opened fire at a toll gate that had been authorized by KIA, resulting in the death of three toll gate operators and injuries to a nearby vendor.
Due to the heightened military tensions along the Sadung-Kanpaikti Road, approximately 200 personnel from the Military Council and the Shwe Min militia,have deployed to conduct thorough inspections of passenger buses and vehicles passing through the area. This increased military presence indicates an expansion of their forces in the region. According to local reports, nearby Inwankawng village school has been temporarily closed in response to the escalating military tensions along that road.