Fighting continues; military tensions persist across five Kachin State townships

Military tensions remain high across five townships in Kachin State as heavy fighting continues between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the junta, according to the KIA. While fierce fighting continues to rage in Shwegu Township, military tensions and clashes are also ongoing in Bhamo, Mohnyin Township—particularly around the Indawgyi Lake area—Waingmaw, and Khawnglanhpu townships. "There are battles around Shwegu every day, while fighting in Bhamo breaks out from time to time. There are also skirmishes around Indawgyi. In Waingmaw, there haven't been many ground clashes, but the military situation remains tense. Khaunglanhpu is also tense, and small clashes happen occasionally," said Colonel Naw Bu, spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Among the five townships, the heaviest fighting is taking place in Shwegu Township. The junta has reportedly deployed nearly 500 troops, divided into four columns, and has been conducting daily military operations along the Ngaroe-Shwegu Road. "The fighting is spread out along the road linking Ngaroe Village in Mabein Township, Shan State, to Shwegu. Both sides keep advancing and pulling back as the fighting continues. The junta has deployed about 500 troops in the area, organized into around four columns," Colonel Naw Bu said. As fighting continues in Shwegu, the KIA and allied resistance forces also successfully seized a junta frontline operations camp. "On July 31, we captured a junta frontline operations camp. It wasn't a heavily fortified command center. The camp had around 30 to 50 troops. When we launched the attack, the junta soldiers pulled back," Colonel Naw Bu explained. The leader of the military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, who assumed the presidency through a sham election, has intensified military operations across the country in an effort to retake territories seized by resistance forces.