Seven vessels from a junta naval flotilla traveling upstream along the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay have docked in Bhamo Town, Kachin State, according to local resistance sources.
The 15-vessel convoy originally departed from Mandalay’s Gaw Wein jetty on August 21 to resupply military outposts in northern Myanmar.
Despite coming under sustained attacks by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied resistance forces along the river route, two riverine combat ships and five cargo vessels successfully reached Bhamo on September 3.
The arrival delivers critical resupply to regime forces in the area, delivering fresh troops, fuel, military supplies, and junta administrative personnel.
“The vessels have docked in Bhamo—two combat ships and five cargo vessels,” a Bhamo-based resistance fighter told NMG. “If this flotilla hadn’t made it, the junta troops here would have been in serious trouble. This time, the junta also brought administrative civil servants along.”
While the seven arriving vessels represent a smaller fleet than last year’s 13-vessel resupply convoy, local sources note that the substantial influx of reinforcement troops is expected to significantly impact frontline military dynamics around Bhamo.
The flotilla passed through Thabeikkyin, Tagaung, Tigyaing, and Katha townships before reaching Shwegu Town in Kachin State on August 28. After offloading portion of its cargo in Shwegu, the seven vessels resumed their journey toward Bhamo on September 2.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues upstream in Shwegu Township. On August 30, KIA and Kachin People’s Defence Force (KPDF) units overran a temporary junta security post near Zinbon Village established to guard the flotilla.
The regime subsequently launched a counteroffensive using four columns totaling roughly 200 troops, sparking active clashes across the Zinbon mountain range and along the Shwegu–Hsinhkan Road.
The seven vessels managed to slip through to Bhamo while fighting was ongoing, while the remaining eight vessels from the original convoy remain stationed in Shwegu.
Independent verification regarding the exact volume of weapons, fuel, and military hardware delivered to Bhamo remains pending.
