Heavy casualties in Bhamo battles, memorial services and funerals held consecutively at Thaketa Naval Base

It has been learned that memorial services and funerals are being held consecutively within the naval base in Thaketa Township, Yangon, due to numerous casualties resulting from attacks on military vessels belonging to the interim government's army, which were navigating up and down the Bhamo city in Kachin State. Although the military side has kept the news under wraps, it has been learned from internal military sources that memorial services are being quietly held within the naval base on Shwe Kyin Thar Road in Thaketa Township for the naval personnel who have died. "Although the military side is concealing the number of casualties to prevent it from leaking out, funerals and memorial services like this are being quietly held within the naval base," a military insider told the Ayeyarwaddy Times. It is said that on September 9 alone, funerals for a naval commander, a naval captain, and three naval soldiers from the Tatmadaw (Navy) had to be held simultaneously. Furthermore, on September 14, a military vessel sailing downstream was ambushed and attacked by joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and other allied groups, taking advantage of the darkness from below the Sawati Su Pauk hill. The military vessel reportedly sank in the fighting at Nat Myan Taung mountain at dawn the next morning. It is said that on September 9 alone, funerals for a naval commander, a naval captain, and three naval soldiers from the Tatmadaw (Navy) had to be held simultaneously. Furthermore, on September 14, a military vessel sailing downstream was ambushed and attacked by joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and other allied groups, taking advantage of the darkness from below the Sawati Su Pauk hill. Although it is said that the deputy commander of the 21st Light Infantry Division was on board the sunken military vessel, the Ayeyarwaddy Times has not been able to confirm the detailed situation. As of September 16, the KIA and allied forces were able to sink and destroy approximately 20 vessels from the group of military ships heading to Bhamo, and on the evening of September 17, another military vessel returning from Bhamo was sunk again.