A battle broke out between KIA’s 24^th Battalion under 5^th Brigade and Burmese army’s 387^th LIR under 21^st MOC on July 11 at 4:15 am near Bum Sawn hill. In another front, KIA troops from 9^th Battalion under 4^th Brigade ambushed 4 Burmese military trucks on the road between Kutkai and Muse in Northern Shan State on July 11 at 4:30 pm.

On July 10, KIA troops from 24^th Battalion under 5^th Brigade fought against Burmese troops from 601^st LIR between Ming Mun and Ting Lung. On the same day in another front, a skirmish broke out between KIA’s 38^th Battalion under 4^th Brigade and an advancing Burmese army column near Mung Hawm in Mung Ya area in Northern Shan State.

Several rounds of talks were held between KIO and Burma’s quasi-civilian government but little progress was made so far. KIO repeatedly asked to begin a political dialogue as previous military government (SLORC) promised to hold political discussion once it transferred power to a civilian government. Some Kachin observers said after several rounds of talks, they doubt the government had an intention to discuss political issues that need to be solved between the government and ethnic nationalities.

Burmese government’s major concerns brought to the negotiation tables are to achieve ceasefires with different ethnic nationalities and bring them into 2008 constitution frame.  KIO’s stand is to hold political dialogue and find solutions for decade-old problems and it believes that as trust level increases fighting will cease.

Burmese government recently offered KIO to meet at its controlled area in either Bhamo or Muse in Northern Shan State. But KIO refused government’s plan as heavy fighting taking place along Laiza-Bhamo road and in Northern Shan State.