Doi Pi Sa, the In-Charge of Kachin Refugee Relief Committee said that a gun-battle broke out on August 17, between Border Guard Forces (BGF) and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), near Law Hkawng village. The village falls under area controlled by KIA Division position (1) in north-eastern Kachin State.
U Doi Pi Sa said 200 BGF and government troops attacked a KIO front line area controlled by of KIA’s 10 Battalion.
He told Mizzima, “The government’s BGF troops attacked the KIA’s front line area located at upper Law Hkawng. They attacked twice, but they withdrew when we returned fire. We acquired two M-23, bullets, backpacks, food and major-rank clothes.”
U Doi Pi Sa said that the KIA set up camp at upper Law Hkawng in early 2012 and the encounter happened as the government BGF are trying to recover the area.
Sau Bawm, of BGF 1003 based in Kan Pai Ti at the China-Myanmar Border region told Mizzima that although it was reported that there was an encounter between BGF Battalion 1001 under the government’s 88 brigade and KIA forces, the details of the event are not known yet.
“We heard that there are government troops in the region. It happened in Battalion 1001's area. It has been quite some time since we have heard of encounters there. It is a NDAK district, where U Zahkung Ting Ying’s troops were camped before. I think the encounter happened as they do not want to move.”
After peace talks with Union Peace-Making Work Committee and KIO delegates, skirmishes have occurred frequently between the government and KIA troops, at the KIA division position 4 in northern Shan state.
However, a member of people's militia under KIA told Mizzima that there are no skirmishes at the moment, but both sides are alert.
He said, “The encounters have stopped these days. But when the two groups come face to face with one another, gun-battles break out. The government has reduced and increased their troops. There are also movement of the government troops”.
