One civilian was killed in Katha Township, Sagaing Region, by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone, attack carried out by an unknown armed group during fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and regime forces on Tuesday.
Katha residents told DVB on the condition of anonymity that regime forces have shut down all access into the town since Dec. 29. Katha is located 223 miles (359 km) north of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa.
Sources close to the KIA told DVB that the ethnic armed group launched an offensive against the regime Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 309, which served as security on Dec. 28, the first day of the regime’s 2025-26 elections. No casualties were reported.
Other resistance members on the frontline told DVB that the KIA captured an undisclosed number of military outposts, following the fighting on Dec. 28. Neither the KIA nor the regime has confirmed this to DVB.
A Katha resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity that Union Election Commission (UEC) officials didn’t stop the voting process but were unable to count ballots due to fighting.
He added that regime forces have launched artillery attacks from positions inside Katha into surrounding areas since Dec. 10, in an attempt to clear the area.
KIA-led forces, including the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), have seized control of Sagaing’s Mawlu, Indaw, and Banmauk towns near Katha. The four towns are located 185-236 miles (297-379 km) west and southwest of the KIA headquarters in Laiza.
Fighting between the KIA and regime forces over control of Bhamo Township, Kachin State, entered its second year on Dec. 4. Bhamo is located 118 miles (190 km) south of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina and 56 miles (90 km) southwest of Laiza.
Fighting between the two sides has been ongoing in Kachin’s Hpakant Township since June 16. Hpakant is located 94-158 miles (151-254 km) west and northwest of Myitkyina and Laiza.
The first phase of the regime elections was held in 12 townships of Sagaing Region. The UEC won’t hold elections in 12 of Sagaing’s 37 townships. The second and final phases of voting will take place in the remaining 13 townships on Jan. 11 and Jan. 25, 2026, according to the UEC.
The National Unity Government (NUG) stated that its PDF attacked regime outposts in six townships of Magway Region on Dec. 28, as voting was underway in nine out of Magway’s 25 townships.
The Arakan Army (AA) attacked regime forces in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships, Arakan State, Dec. 27-28. The UEC held elections in three out of 17 townships in Arakan on Dec. 28.
Fourteen were seized by the AA since it launched an offensive against regime forces on Nov. 13, 2023. Regime elections won’t be held in AA-controlled territory.
