Eleven Media Group
Military preparations seen at KIA Brigade-3 where fighting has broken out (Photo - John San Linn)
The Myanmar military has
launched multiple offensives against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)
on April 10, with fighting continuing over the Thingyan new year
holidays.
Clashes continued up to April 16 in the
Man Win Gyi area of Mansi Township, as well as northeastern areas of
Moemauk Township, in northern Shan State, forcing hundreds of villagers
to flee across the border into neighbouring China, according to
independent reports.
"[The skirmishes] only halted
temporarily in the mornings of the 12th and the 13th. They continued on
the rest of the days," said Daungkhar, a liaison officer with the Kachin
Independence Organisation (KIO) based in Myitkyina.
The fighting began only two days after
representatives from the military and a coalition of ethnic armed groups
met in Yangon to discuss drafting a nation-wide ceasefire agreement.
Despite ongoing peace talks, skirmishes
in northern Kachin State have broken out earlier this year over illegal
logging. Tensions have remained high after a nation-wide census was
contested by ethnic armed groups who refused to participate.
Military infantry battalions launched
attacks against KIA Battalion 27 in the Brigade-3 area on April 10,
eventually capturing an administrative office at Bang Hkung Yang village
as well as Ulampar base camp in Mansi Township, according to sources
from the KIO headquarters.
Kachin rebels retaliated by attacking
the Man Win Gyi Police Station, in Mansi Township, on April 11 but were
forced back allowing Myanmar army troops to capture Bang Hkam gate camp,
which is located near Naung Taung Bridge on the Myanmar-China border.
"Their camp is located at the
Myanmar-China border. We have captured it because they have doing
illegal activities," said a senior official from the military’s Northern
Command.
As attacks escalated, the KIA ambushed a
military convoy carrying ammunition from Bhamo on April 13 killing two
officers and injuring four others. Despite ongoing clashes, there has
been no official disclosure of causalities by either side.
"There were seven vehicles in the
convoy. A vehicle was destroyed due to the mine attack. The vehicle
carrying ammunitions was destroyed after it caught on fire. Two officers
have died while four officers have been injured," added the senior army
official.
The military reinforced its positions on
April 13 and launched further attacks against the KIA, deploying
infantry columns to hold control of captured areas in what appears to be
pre-planned operation to control more territory in rebel held areas.
“They have wanted to control the
territory. At first, the illegal timber issue was used as a reason. Then
they use the census issue as a reason. The fighting resumed as they
started military activities,” said KIO liaison officer Daungkhar.
The military continued to capture small
base camps inside areas controlled by KIA Battalion 27 on April 14 and
15 and heavy fighting took place in the upper areas between Bhamo and
Moemauk.
Fighting continued after army troops
entered the area controlled by KIA Battalion 9, Brigade-4, in northern
Shan State on April 15.
On April 16, fighting broke out near
Maijayan, which is close to Myanmar-China border, forcing over 1,000
Shan villagers to flee over the China border.
John San Linn, an independent reporter covering frontline news from the battlefield, was contacted by Eleven Media on April 16.
"Heavy fighting has taken place in Maijayang area this morning," he confirmed.
"The main reason is that the military
wants to control the Moemauk area. They want to expand their camps. The
KIA knew that they were going to expand their camps beforehand. When the
military started entering their areas, the fighting broke out,” he
added.
Despite ongoing negotiations between the
military’s Northern Command and the KIA/KIO over previous skirmishes,
there has been no contact between the two sides for over three months.
"The Northern Command cannot make any
decisions. They have to follow the instructions from a higher authority.
So negotiations have been unsuccessful," added Daungkhar.
While tensions remain high, the KIA
General Gwan Maw is visiting the United States at the invitation of the
Department of State. He arrived in the U.S. on April 13 and will be
staying there for 12 days.
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