The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is closely monitoring the escalating fighting between the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Burmese Army in southeastern Burma, near the Thailand border, KIA sources said.

Fresh fighting between Burmese troops and DKBA Brigade 5 began yesterday during the Burmese election when the DKBA, a splinter-group of the Karen National Union (KNU), entered the Burmese town of Myawaddy, and occupied key locations.

It has been reported that three civilians have been killed and more than 20 injured in the fighting in Myawaddy. Thousands of refugees are fleeing across the Moei River to Mae Sot, Thailand.

Reports say eight Burmese soldiers were captured by the DKBA.

Today, fighting also broke out further south at Three pagodas Pass, on the border with Thailand, where the DKBA is reportedly burning government buildings.

Artillery shells have fallen in Thailand at both locations.

KIA sources said it is closely monitoring the fighting between the two sides, and has put its troops in both Kachin State and Northern Shan State on alert.

The KIA, one of the strongest ethnic armies, is preparing for renewed civil war with the new military-controlled Burmese government, which will be formed after yesterday’s election.

On October 15, the Burman-led regime officially denounced the KIA as “insurgents”, and it broke its 16-year old ceasefire agreement with the Kachin armed group.

On November 5,  the KIA, KNU, New Mon State Party (NMSP), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) and the Chin National Front (CNF), created an alliance to form the “Federal Army”, which aims to restore a “genuine Federal Political System” in Burma, according to sources within the alliance.

The members of the armed ethnic alliance have agreed to fight together against the Burmese Army, if any of them is attacked.

Three hundred KNU troops are joining the DKBA in the fighting at Three Pagodas Pass.

However, the other members of the armed alliance have not yet commented on the fighting between the DKBA and the Burmese Army.