KIA steps up its defensive operations as Burmese Army closes in to its administrative capital Laiza. KIA recaptured its former Bum Sen Post located near Kampaiti from Burmese Army on April 28 and Dingga Bum Post on April 26. KIA had to leave its posts last year as Burmese Army deployed more troops in surrounding areas.

KIA troops overrun another strategic Burmese Army post in Laja yang on April 27. Frontline sources say currently Laja yang is totally under control of Kachin Army. Heavy battles between KIA’s special force responsible for its capital security and Burmese Army’s 141^st LIR, 381^st LIR and 388^th LIR began last Thursday near Laja Yang. A local source says Burmese Army fired 60-mm mortar shells into Lawa yang village, located between Laja yang and Laiza, in response to KIA’s attack. Burmese Army reportedly fired several rounds of 105 mm shells from its Daw Hpum Yang stronghold to KIA’s territory.

In another front, a battle took place between KIA’s capital security force and Burmese Army soldiers under Northern Regional Command near Ban Sau village on April 27. At least 5 Burmese soldiers were killed in this battle, said a frontline source.

An unconfirmed report said KIA overrun another border town of Pangwa in NDA-K (National Democratic Army, Kachin) controlled areas as BGF soldiers defected to KIA side. Pangwa was a former headquarter of Communist Party of Burma (CPB) and later NDA-K took over its control.

Fighting has been raging across Kachin region between Kachin and Burmese Army during this past week. The two sides reportedly encountered at Ake village located at the junction of Lido road and Sinbo road on April 27. Another battle took place between KIA’s 27^th Battalion and Burmese Army’s 77^th LID on the road between Sinlum Kaji and Ting Rang Bum on April 26 at 10:30 am.