Heavy fighting is ongoing around Bhamo Town, the second largest town in Kachin State and nearly all of the town’s residents have fled.

A coalition of revolutionary forces led by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) launched an offensive to capture Bhamo Town on 4 December 2024. Since then the fighting in the town has escalated and several artillery shells have hit downtown areas.

As a result, residents of Bhamo Town and nearby villages began evacuating on 4 December, using all available options, including waterway and land routes.

A Bhamo Town resident said: "Almost everyone has fled by both waterway and land routes. The route to Nyaungpinthar Village has been open for several days. Currently, only those staying behind as guards in their homes remain in Bhamo Town. I estimate that at least 70 percent of the town's population has already evacuated.”

Of those who fled, some crossed the Ayeyarwady River and sought shelter in the villages of Yaele, Namhkoke, Monghkawng, Hanhtet, and Sihkamgyi. Other took the Bhamo to Shwegu to Katha Road and are sheltering in Shwebo Town in Sagaing Region and Mandalay City in Mandalay Region.

According to unconfirmed reports, by 9 December, the KIA had taken control of the police station, the General Administration Office, and the Technical University in Bhamo Town. However, due to widespread phone and internet outages throughout Kachin State it has been impossible to verify the reports.

Reports also surfaced claiming that the KIA had opened the gates of Bhamo Prison, which is located in Military Operations Command 21 (MOC 21) compound in Bhamo Town. But, some Bhamo residents said this could not be true because the KIA is still attacking the MOC 21 base.

Another resident of Bhamo Town said: “This information is likely not true. It may not be that the prison has been opened, but rather that inmates due for release are being freed early, with their families notified to come and pick them up. The news of the prison being opened is probably false.”

Bhamo Town is about 40 miles (about 64 km) from the KIA controlled border crossing town of Lweje in Kachin State.  It is also the administrative centre of Bhamo Township which contains 71 villages and has a population of around 110,000. Militarily, Bhamo Township is strategically important because it is a land and waterway transportation hub.

Bhamo Township is bordered by Momauk Township to the east, Shwegu Township to the west, Mansi Township to the south, and Waingmaw Township to the north.