Yesterday before noon, the Burma Army’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 506 attacked the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) base at Loikuk in Kehsi township, southern Shan State, local news sources reported.
The Burma army’s latest assault on the Shan army was unable to seize the SSA base. A number of injured government soldiers were seen being carried to Lashio, the locals told SHAN.
On 20 June, from 11.00 to 13.00 hours, a 30-strong unit of Burma Army from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 506 based in Wan Nawng Ka, Kehsi township, launched attack on SSPP/SSA base at Loi Kuk near Nakhiling, Wanphwe tract, a 10km (7 miles) distance from Kehsi.
A local from the area told SHAN: “This time the Burma Army has intentionally launched the attack. As the soldiers from Burma army were unable to advance, they have retreated at 1.30 pm. However, at 3.00 pm, Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion (IB) 131 from Kehsi arrived about 100 reinforcement troops. But it is not known if it also included other units.”
Following the offensive assault on the SSA base, a native of Lashio told SHAN that the casualties on both sides were not known, but he has seen 10 stretchers carrying the casualties [soldiers] into the Lashio city. Among them, at least 5 were injured.
“Even though we [SSPP/SSA] and Burma Army have signed a ceasefire agreement the latter is still continuously carrying out attacks on us. It signifies that we should have well prepared and ready for self-defence as it can happen at any time. We must be on the alert and not to be negligent,” said an SSPP/SSA officer.
Loikuk is located in Kehsi township, in the proximity of Mongtung – Mongla in Hsipaw township. The SSPP/SSA troops have been stationed in this region since 2011.
The SSPP/SSA is one of the armed groups that have signed a ceasefire agreement with the government-led Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) since January 2012. However, the clashes between government troops and SSA have occurred continuously during the truce.
In May, representatives of SSPP/SSA met with the government peace negotiators from UPWC at Tangyan. Both sides reportedly signed an agreement based on 4 points.
- To observe the terms of agreements in both regional and state levels.
- To solve the problem, for the sake of peace, on both sides which resulted from troop movements and reinforcements.
- To avoid burden on the locals and not to find fault with them, which are not according to the law.
- To avoid clashes both sides must come to the negotiation table to resolve problems peacefully.
