The Burmese military junta seems bent on eliminating the ethnic Kachin rebel brigade in Northeast Shan State if they do not toe the junta’s line. This was stated by a high ranking Burmese Army officer at a public meeting, said local sources.

Lt-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the chief of the Bureau of Special Operations-2 (BSO) which supervises troops in the Northeast, East and Triangle Regional Military Commands, said this during a public meeting in Hpawng Seng village on September 30, said local participants.

Lt-Gen Min Aung Hlaing was accompanied by Brig-Gen Aung Htun, deputy commander of Northeast command and the meeting was also attended a local Kachin militia group led by Tangbau Lau Yawng and local Burmese military personnel, participants added.

According to participants, Lt-Gen Min Aung Hlaing declared that the junta is going to reorganize the Loikang-based 4th brigade of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) with three smaller militia groups with 30 personnel each, and now most of the rebel's leaders are about to accept it.

The officer also said, "The junta will not order the 4th KIA brigade to surrender its weapons.  If the 4th KIA brigade does not want to transform to the junta-proposed militia groups, the brigade will be asked to withdraw to Kachin State where the KIA headquarters is located," a local participant said.

The Naypyitaw military officer warned KIA saying "The KIA's 4th brigade will be eliminated, if it rejects the two military options given by the junta," a participant told KNG today.

KIA officials in Laiza headquarters on the Sino-Burma border in Kachin State said, war against the Burmese troops is imminent in Kachin State  if the junta  touches the KIA's 4th brigade in Northeast Shan State.

In August, the junta captured the territory of the ethnic Kokang ceasefire group, also known as the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). The rebel's territory is connected with the KIA's 4th brigade east of Salween River (Saphkung Hka in Kachin) State.

Since the Kokang offensive, the KIA's Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gunhtang Gam Shawng authorized all KIA troops in the two states to shoot Burmese soldiers who intrude into KIA's territory or if the KIA is first shot at by Burmese troops.

Till now, KIA and the Burmese Army officers have failed to resolve the issue of transforming KIA to the Burma Army-controlled Border Guard Force after eight meetings between the two sides in the Kachin State's capital Myitkyina from April to September 24, according to KIA officers.

At the Hpawng Seng public meeting, the Naypyitaw officer also announced that the Burmese Army has seized over 100 cars from the MNDAA. He also warned the audience that the military conflicts in MNDAA area may be resumed any time.  The major clashes between Burmese troops and the Kokang rebels occurred on August 27 to 29.

At the moment, the Burmese Army is sending fresh military rations and weapons in trucks and donkeys to the Northeast Shan State near the KIA's 4th brigade and Hopang, the territory of the United Wa State Army (UWSA), said eyewitnesses.