Convoy of warships leaving Bhamo attacked, 2 more ships burn and sink

A convoy of over 20 warships belonging to the interim government forces, which departed from Bhamo in Kachin State, was ambushed by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and resistance forces, resulting in continuous damage to the interim government forces, according to local sources. Sources said that one vessel was attacked on the Irrawaddy River near Yae Nyi and Kan Thar villages at around 10:25 AM today, September 13, and two more vessels were destroyed near Sawati and Su Pot Kone. "Yesterday, about four ships were attacked and one was destroyed. Today, they were attacked again," a Kachin source told the Ayeyarwaddy Times. Similarly, a local resident confirmed that on the morning of September 12, a convoy of interim government forces' vessels was attacked near Sawati village in Bhamo Township, and one warship was burned and destroyed. The warship damaged by the attack could no longer proceed and the troops on board had to be transferred to other vessels. Furthermore, it is known that the interim government forces have forcibly incorporated civilian vessels and cargo barges into this convoy. In August last year, only six of the military's convoy of vessels that sailed up from Gawin Port in Mandalay City managed to reach Bhamo. After that, the interim government forces sent more than 30 warships, and the river battles intensified. The said military convoy was attacked and sunk by the KIA's fierce upstream and downstream attacks, with more than 10 warships, barges, and push boats sunk. Photo caption: A warship attacked by the KIA.