Residents along Ayeyarwady River fear renewed fighting amid reports of warships heading upstream

Burma News International (BNI) is a network of 15 independent media and news organizations based in and around Burma Residents living along the upper reaches of the Ayeyarwady River said they are growing increasingly anxious following reports that junta warships could soon head upstream toward Kachin State. Although there has been no confirmation that the vessels will actually continue toward Kachin, locals said the reports alone have revived fears of a repeat of previous military operations, when junta flotillas advancing upriver were accompanied by artillery shelling of riverside communities, airstrikes, and renewed clashes. A resident from a village on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River in Katha Township, Sagaing Region, near the Kachin State border, said people routinely begin making preparations whenever rumors emerge that junta warships are on the move. "Every time we hear news like this, we get worried. Whenever junta vessels start heading upstream, we usually spend about a week getting everything ready in case we have to respond," he said. In previous operations, the junta frequently shelled riverside villages with artillery and launched air raids to secure the route for its flotillas as they moved upstream. As a result, locals view reports of another naval convoy as far more alarming than ordinary military developments. Another resident from Katha, who is currently sheltering in Myitkyina after fleeing the conflict, said the reports have created fresh anxiety among displaced people who had been planning to return home as the security situation appeared to be stabilizing. "Right now, the junta has gained clear control over the area and has even said it can guarantee security. Because of that, many people believed the fighting was over and started returning to Katha. But if these warships arrive and fighting breaks out again, everyone will be in trouble," he explained. The junta warships are currently anchored at Sheinmakar Village in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region and have not yet resumed their upstream journey, according to a Wetlet resident. "The ships have been staying at Sheinmakar for three days now. They haven't moved upstream or downstream. We've also heard reports that another flotilla is being assembled in Mandalay, but so far, we haven't seen anything unusual," he said. He added that several junta airstrikes occurred in Wetlet and Sagaing townships around the same time the flotilla entered Wetlet Township. "There were airstrikes in both Wetlet and Sagaing. I can't say whether they were connected to the movement of the warships or whether it was just a coincidence," he said. KNG has not been able to independently verify reports that the junta flotilla in Wetlet has remained stationary. Meanwhile, the Banmaw Scout Team, a local monitoring group in Bhamo Township, Kachin State, reported that the junta is assembling a flotilla of 20 warships in Mandalay for a possible upstream mission to Bhamo. The group said rising water levels in the Ayeyarwady River have created favorable conditions for navigation, suggesting the flotilla could begin moving upstream soon. It also warned that communities along the river route could face artillery shelling and airstrikes as the vessels pass, urging residents to closely monitor the situation and prepare to evacuate temporarily if necessary. Meanwhile, in Shwegu Township, Kachin State, clashes continue almost daily around Laylansone, Pangtin, Ngarbatwa and Tawhlan villages. Civilians have also been injured by the junta's indiscriminate shelling. Residents living along the Ayeyarwady River said they have been preparing for the possibility that another junta flotilla could trigger a new round of fighting, exposing riverside communities once again to artillery bombardments and airstrikes.