Another 3,000 Burmese have fled to the China border since yesterday night from the United Wa State Army’s (UWSA’s) northern territory, contiguous to the territory of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), a Kokang ceasefire group, said local sources. There were repeated clashes between the Burmese Army and the Kokang Army before the latter’s base was overrun.

The refugees are ethnic Lahu, Akha, Kachin and Wa from the villages around Hopang and Panglong areas in Wa territory. They are fleeing to Chinese territories, near the Chinshwehaw border gate, sources close to a Chinese border refugee agency said.

The civilian refugees from these areas are heading for the China border because of the simmering tension between Burmese soldiers and ethnic Wa troops after the military junta took control of the Kokang's capital Laogai on August 24, said Wa sources.

During clashes between Kokang fighters loyal to chairman Peng Jiasheng and the Burmese troops, Wa sent about 3,000 troops to the Kokang's Chinshwehaw areas, bordering its territory, said sources close to Wa.

A local Burmese military observer told KNG today, the Burmese Army was transporting heavy weapons and mortars in several military trucks along with soldiers to Panglong in Wa territory since last night.

He was of the opinion that Burmese troops are preparing to fight UWSA and the 4th Brigade of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) based on Loikang west of Salween River bordering the northern Kokang territory.

Sources close to UWSA said, yesterday its troops destroyed a hydropower plant in Namti River (also spelt Nam Ting) located between Hopang and Kunlong, which was mainly distributing electricity to Kokang's capital Laogai and other villages.

Last night, Burmese soldiers forcibly detained about 60 villagers from villages where ethnic Wa, Kachin, Shan, Lahu and Akha live, around Hopang and Panglong for porter duty, said village sources.

The junta has now deployed seven Light Infantry Divisions (LID) including, Pa-an based LID No. 22, Ywataung-based LID No. 33, Kalaw-based LID No. 55, Meiktila-based LID No. 99, and more than five army battalions in Kokang territories, said local Burmese military observers.

Over 30,000 civilian refugees from Kokang territory fled to areas near Nansan border town in China's Yunnan province following the tension between the Burmese Army and the Kokang ceasefire group since August 8, border sources said.