Sumprabum town, situated on the Myitkyina-Putao Road in Kachin State, now under the control of resistance joint forces led by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), is not ready yet residents to return, as de-mining operations are still ongoing in the town.
KIA and its allied forces are continuing to clear remnants of explosive ordinances from the
area after the town was captured after a two-month-long battle. The KIA has also informed currently displaced residents, that they will be allowed to return only after these demining processes are completed.
"For now it is hard to go back. There have been clashes for two months, and there are still many dangerous explosives in the town. We will return as soon as KIA authorities say it is safe, but they have not given us the green light yet”, a local told KNG.
Throughout the two-month battle for control of Sumprabum, the KIA faced fierce resistance from the Junta, employing tactics such as air raids that destroyed at least 10 houses. Presently the town's security situation remains unstable for resettlement, prompting residents to stay in the forest and rural areas.
Beginning at 6:00 am on May 4, KIA-led joint forces initiated an offensive against the Junta's 46th Infantry Battalion’s base in Sumprabum, marking the final phase of the operation. The weary Junta troops, unable to withstand the attack, witnessed two battalion commanders and several soldiers flee, enabling KIA and its allied forces to seize the entire base by the morning of May 5, gaining control over the entire town.
The KIA reported uncovering evidence that Junta troops at the base suffered severe food shortages, resorting to consuming banana trunks during the town's two-month encirclement. KIA has confiscated over 60 diverse weapons from the Junta battalion base, and confirmed casualties on both sides during the clashes.
"We were overjoyed when we learned that KIA had gained full control of Sumprabum. We have been anxiously awaiting news of victory since we first heard about KIA's offensive against the Junta base. When I heard about KIA's success, it was like a heavy burden was lifted from within me. Now we all need to unite for Sumprabum's future. Although schools are set to reopen soon, we are still uncertain about the education plans”, a Sumprabum resident said.
KIA joined forces with resistance groups, including the Kachin People's Defense Force (KPDF) and the Kagabu People's Force (KPF), and initiated an offensive against the 46th Infantry Battalion stationed in Sumprabum on March 10. Their collaborative efforts led to the successful capture of the entire base on May 5.
