Two Burmese Army soldiers were killed and four were injured during an ambush Wednesday afternoon by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on the Mandalay to Muse border trade route to China, witnesses said.
Over 20 Burmese troops were ambushed on the road between Mungbaw Bridge and Nampaka between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. local time and two guns were captured by the KIA, according to brigade officials.
The government army column was attacked as they marched to Muse, the largest trade town on the northern border, said local witnesses.
This attack was carried out by KIA soldiers of Battalion 9, under Brigade 4, based in Loikang near Kutkai, in Northern Shan State, said brigade officials.
Two weeks ago, over 20 Burmese soldiers died during clashes between Burmese troops and the KIA’s battalion 8, in Namtu area, according to sources from Battalion 8.
The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) continues to demand the successive central governments negotiate peace based on the 1947 Panglong Agreement, which guarantees equal rights to minority ethnic groups but the government has refused.
