At least seven Burma Army soldiers were killed and more than three injured during two days of heavy fighting with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops at Lungja Bum Kadawng (Lungja hillside) in N’Mawk (Momauk) Township in Manmaw (Bhamo) Township, in Burma’s Northern Kachin State, on August 28 and 29, local sources said.
It was biggest loss of Burmese troops in fighting with the KIA in Kachin State earlier this week, KIA officials at the Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin State said.
The fighting happened between over 200 government troops, combined with local battalions and the Sagaing-based Light Infantry Division No. 33 and KIA troops under Battalion 15, according to KIA battalion officials.
No report on KIA casualties has been released.
The KIA officials said the heavy fighting happened when the government troops marched to the area bordering on positions held by KIA Battalions 1 and 15, under Brigade 3.
The fighting has intensified near KIA military bases in Kachin State and Northern Shan State after different ceasefire proposals from each side failed to result in an agreement during two-party talks in early August.
