Daily battles continue to rage on across Kachin and Shan State between Kachin Independent Army and Burmese Army. KIA’s capital security forces fought against a combined unit of 100 soldiers from Burmese Army’s MOC – 3 at Na Lung village located near KIO’s administrative capital Laiza on June 28.

On June 27, a skirmish broke out between KIA’s 10^th Battalion under 1^st Brigade and Burmese army’s 74^th LIR near Man Ton at 5 am. Another fighting took place between KIA’s 38^th Battalion under 4^th Brigade and Burmese Army’s 125^th LIR near Mang Kang in Mung Koe areas on June 27.

On June 26, a combined force of KIA’s 36^th Battalion under 4^th Brigade and Kachin peoples’ militia deterred an advancing Burmese army column between Pangsai and Mung Koe in Northern Shan State. At least 2 Burmese soldiers were killed in this battle and Burmese army later retreated to Hkalum village, frontline sources reported. On their way back to Hkalum village, Burmese soldiers reportedly killed a 50 years-old ethnic Chinese man named Yang Xin Shang (age 50) while he was working in his field near Chyu Wa Jai village. Another ethnic Kachin man Dawshi Ma Gawng (age 42) was shot while he was working at a field owned by Chyu Wu. He was shot in the leg but later managed to escape from soldiers. Chyu Wu, owner of the field, and another Kachin man Dawshi Ma San were interrogated and severely beaten by Burmese soldiers. Dawshi Ma San was detained and taken away by Burmese soldiers with 3 motor cycles belonged to Chyu Wu, Ma Gawng and Ma San. Local sources say Dawshi Ma San’s whereabouts is still unknown.

Though Kachin Independence Organization and Burma’s new quasi-civilian met for several times since fighting broke out on June 9 of last year, a negotiated feasible solution to the conflict still seems like a distant possibility. KIO has been calling for a genuine political discussion for half a century old problem but Burmese government’s main interest is to sign a ceasefire agreement for containment and to introduce yet another development projects rather than solving the root and the cause of decades old struggles of Burma’s ethnic nationalities.