According to locals, the Sikhamgyi strategic hill camp in Jehkam Village (locally known as Sikhamgyi Village), Mansi Township, Kachin State, has been attacked by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Arakan Army (AA) and KPDF joint forces since 5:00 a.m. on February 17th.
According to a local, 15, 121, 276 and 223 infantry battalions under the Northern Military Command Headquarters (Ma-Pa-Kha) have been stationed at the Sikhamgyi strategic hill camp.
When the fighting was going on, the Y12-type military support aircraft from the Myitkyina Air Force and the Tada-U Air Force and jet fighters from the Namsan Air Force carried out at least 40 airstrikes on February 17th and 18th, he continued to explain.
“Civilians have been killed and injured due to airstrikes in Jehham Village, and some have taken refuge in nearby towns and monasteries. The fighting is still ongoing, so we don’t know how many have died. Houses and schools are totally destroyed,” a person close to the front line told MPA.
The Information Department of the Arakan Army (AA) stated that five local people living in Jehkam Village were killed and more than 30 people were injured due to air strikes by the Junta’s Air during the Sikhamgyi Battle.
“People from the villages of Sikaw, Sikhamgyi, Thantadar, Melin, Kung Lwin, and Khagyin have been fleeing the war. More than 1,000 people from Sikhamgyi Village have fled Mabeim and Bhamo since January,” said a Mansi resident.
A resident woman living in Bhamo City said, “The situation in Bhamo is also unstable. The 47th Infantry Battalion in Bhamo is also shelling around. If battles happen in Mansi, it’s near Bhamo. So, it’s almost the same.”
In January and February of this year, the KIA and its joint forces attacked and captured the ‘Gaung Ngu Yang’ military camp under the 424th Light Infantry Battalion, the ‘Kite Htaik’ military camp under the 602th Light Infantry Battalion , and the ‘ Sa Khan Gyi’ military camp under the 250th Infa (locally known as Balaung Dein camp) in Mansi township.