At least 31 Burmese Army soldiers, including three officers, have died during fighting against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in four locations in northern Shan State before the government and Kachin delegations meet in China on Thursday, according to frontline sources.
A captain, lieutenant and second lieutenant, as well as nine soldiers from the Mandong-based Infantry Battalion No. 130, under Northeastern Regional Military Command, died during the fighting with the KIA’s Battalion 34, under 4th Brigade, at a Palaung village, Monoi, in Mandong Township, on March 2, local witnesses told the Kachin News Group.
Seven injured government soldiers from the same battalion have been transported to Lashio Hospital after clashes, according to eyewitnesses.
Eight more Burmese soldiers of the Mungji (Mongsi)-based Infantry Battalion No. 290 died and one was injured after five mines exploded that were planted by the KIA’s Battalion 2, under 4th Brigade, on March 3, said local witnesses.
The mines exploded near the former base of the KIA’s 4th Brigade, in Loikang at 2:45 p.m. local time and government soldiers fired back for 45 minutes after the attack, added witnesses.
After the clash, the Loikang headman was called to the frontline and interrogated by government soldiers and his fellow villagers were also forced to transport water and cook food, villagers said.
On January 21, 11 government soldiers died during a day-long skirmish with KIA troops from battalion 38 in Pang Huk, Kutkai township and Mongkoe in Muse township. The fighting happened when a Burmese Army column of Infantry Battalion No. 239 collected more than 160 kg of opium as a form of tax from local farmers in Pang Huk.
Skirmishes happened on Tuesday morning in the KIA battalion 8 areas in Namtu and several injured soldiers were transported to Namtu Hospital, local eyewitnesses reported to the Kachin News Group. The number of dead soldiers is not known.
No KIA soldiers were killed in the skirmishes in the four locations, according to KIA officers of Northern Shan State.
Five major ethnic armed groups: The Karen National Union (KNU), United Wa State Army (UWSA), Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), Chin National Front (CNF) and New Mon State Party (NMSP) signed ceasefire agreements with President Thein Sein’s government.
The KIO and government delegations are going to meet in Ruili, in China, on March 8 and both sides are expected to negotiate settlements to major political differences to prepare for genuine political dialogue, said KIO officials in its Laiza capital and headquarters in eastern Kachin State.
