According to locals, the SAC military had been forced to retreat due to the KIA intercepted the SAC military that was patrolling with ten military vehicles to Nam Kuk village and Nung Swe village in Kutkai town in the northern Shan State.
Today (October 18), at around 12:00 noon, between Nam Kuk Village and Nung Swe Village, the SAC Military and KIA Army exchanged fire with heavy weapons.
“The sound of heavy weapons could be heard as far as Kutkai town. As far as we know, 10 military vehicles from Kutkai town went to patrol with both heavy weapons and small weapons, between Nam Kut village and Nung Swe village. About 20 vanguards of them was encountered by KIA. When these vanguards retreated, all 10 military vehicles retreated to Kutkai town. Nung Swe village is only three miles away from Kutkai town,” explained a Kutkai resident.
As a result of such clashes, the residents of Nam Kut Village and Nung Swe Village were trapped. It was also reported that they had to live in bomb shelters because they could not escape.
“They are shooting from one side to other. Suddenly, I didn’t think about anything. I had to call family members and children and hide in bomb shelters. The situation in the village is not yet known,” said a woman from the village of Nung Swe who did not wish to be named.
The counter battle took place between the KIA and the SAC Infantry Battalion (242). MPA has not been able to specifically confirm the details of the damage on both sides.
Regarding the occurrence of contact fighting, KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu was contacted by phone, but no response received.
Last October 9, there was a battle between the military council and the Kachin Independence Army on the side of Tang Naik and Kong Kok in Theinni Township, causing 5 houses damaged and a pregnant woman was injured by a heavy weapon.