In northern Shan State, fighting between Burma Army and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) continued this Wednesday morning.
A KIA officer from Brigade-4, who spoke to KNG on condition of anonymity, says the Burma Army launched a four-day offensive. “They came to our military camp from three different locations,” says the officer, explaining that about 400 soldiers from LID-88 and other Tatmadaw battalions attacked the KIA soldiers.
According to the KIA officer, the Burma Army attacked KIA Battalion-8 on Nawng Maw hill, located in Kaleng Village-tract, in Kutkai Township. During the offensive, Tatmadaw also clashed with KIA Mobile Battalion-29.
Earlier in the month, Burma Army LID-88 and LID-99 attacked KIA Battalion-9, under Brigade-6, in Muse Township. After a two-day battle that took place on June 6-7, Tatmadaw troops finally captured the KIA camp on Htan Hpa hill.
The June fighting comes despite that the Burma Army announced a unilateral ceasefire in early May until August 31 everywhere in the country except in Chin and Rakhine states, where it is fighting with the Arakan Army (AA).
The Three brotherhoods Alliance–AA, Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)–also extended its unilateral ceasefire from June 1 to Aug 31.
On June 3, Burma Army’s LID-88 and LID-99 attacked MNDAA Battalion-501 and TNLA Battalion-335 in Tarmohnye sub-township, located in northern Shan State.
LID-88 and LID-99 surrounded the armed groups, based on Kong Lim hill, from Tamonye, Mungji, and Nampaka and shelled them. The Burma Army’s Mungji strategic command fired at least 20 artillery shells at MNDAA and TNLA, says a KIA officer, who spoke with KNG on condition of anonymity.
