La Nan of the Kachin Independence Organization, the political wing of the KIA, said that both sides are in standby positions preparing for imminent battles in the fiercest fighting in recent years, which has inflicted serious causalities on both sides.

‘They’re not firing on us now’, he said on Wednesday. ‘But we are very close to them’. La Nan said the KIA issued a statement welcoming government defectors.

KIA Colonel Yaw Htone estimated the strength of government troops at about 500 around the Namsanyan, Narlone and Lajayan outposts, and about 200 troops at the Dawphoneyan outpost in Moemauk Township.

The government has reinforced its troops with heavy weapons including 105 mm howitzers and 120 mm mortars which have targeted KIA headquarters in Laiza, said the KIA.

The heavy artillery is deployed at three positions including Narlone, located about eight miles from Laiza; the Namsanyan outpost, about 14 miles from Laiza; and the Dawphoneyan outpost in Mloemauk sub-township, about 25 miles from Laiza.

The Thai-based Shan Herald News Agency (SHAN) reported that the KIO, using guerilla tactics, has effectively deployed snipers during the government offensives.

On Tuesday, the KIA disabled the Mayan bridge, the Waimaw bridge and the Balaminhtin bridge. The Mali Kha bridge connecting Waimaw and Laiza was also disabled. However, local sources said that the Mali Kha bridge was not totally disabled and is still serviceable. Passenger buses and trucks on the Myitkyina-Laiza-Bhamo road are now required to find alternate routes.

Meanwhile, the state government in Myitkyina has held a meeting calling for an end to the fighting. La Nan said the government was sending a delegation to the KIO to act as an intermediary between the two sides.

‘It is something strange from the government side’, said La Nan.