As leaders of Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and Burma’s President and Military Chief are about to meet in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, Burmese Army carried out a series of attacks against KIA in Kachin and northern Shan State.
Burmese Army’s 15th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) troops currently based at Je Hkam on Monday launched an attack on KIA’s 12th Battalion’s position at Si Kaw village in Mansi Township, southern Kachin State. KIA source said Burmese Army troops fired 60 mm mortar rounds on KIA position for four times between 9 am and 10 am.
Following the initial mortar fires, ground forces from 15th LIB began an attack on KIA’s position at the Si Kaw village’s entrance and the two sides battled for about 10 minutes. No casualties have been reported on either side.
In northern Shan State, Burmese Army troops under 88th Light Infantry Division (LID) launched an attack on KIA 9th Battalion’s Man Ping Bum Post in Kutkai Township on Sept 6. KIA source said about 30 Burmese Army soldiers approached Man Ping Bum Post in the afternoon and started firing at around 4:30 pm. The two sides have not released any casualty information.
A KIA source said as EAOs’ leaders were preparing for peace negotiations in Naypyidaw, Burmese Army officials from Northern Regional Military Command (NRMC) asked KIA to withdraw from its positions near Burmese military posts in Bhamo-Mansi area. According to the source, Burmese Army official also warned KIA that they will use armaments including air power if the demands are not met.
