Fighting Continues With No Sign of Letup in Kachin and Shan States

By Tsa Doi La / Kachinland News (KLN) | January 11, 2017

Burmese army artillery units unceasingly pounded KIA’s Ngwa Le outpost in southeastern Kachin State fended by its 3rd Battalion troops under 5th Brigade on January 10, KLN’s frontline source reported.

Beginning at 1:40 p.m. on January 9, Burmese army troops based at Point 1103, Lai Hpawng and Law Hpyu reportedly fired more than 50 rounds of heavy artillery shells towards KIA positions in Nga Gyang and Sama Krung. On the same day at around 12:30 p.m., KIA troops reportedly ambushed a Burmese military truck transporting troops advancing from Ga Ra Yang, according to a frontline source.

Burmese army troops based at Point 1103 fired over 40 rounds of heavy artillery shells towards KIA positions in Nga Gyang, Hpaw Daw and Sama Krung fended by KIA’s 3rd Battalion troops under 5th Brigade on January 8 at 9:45 a.m. Following the artillery shelling, two Burmese fighter jets conducted 8 air raids over KIA’s Law Hpyu and Tang Lai outposts beginning at 10:05 a.m. while its ground troops attacked with smaller firearms beginning at 2:20 in the evening.

On January 7 at around 10:30 a.m., Burmese army troops making their advances from Hpaw Daw and Daga Yang clashed with KIA troops. On the same day at around 11:40 a.m., KIA troops reportedly attacked Burmese army troops with RPG and 79 mm guns. In retaliation, Burmese army troops began rampantly shooting at surrounding areas, according to the frontline source.

Similarly, between 2:10 a.m. – 3:40 a.m. on January 7, Burmese army troops based at Mung Hkawm reportedly fired 15 heavy artillery rounds towards KIA’s positions at Shan Ta and along Nam Gawm-Samak Zup route, areas controlled by KIA’s 14th Battalion troops under 2nd Brigade. On January 6 at around 5:30 p.m., another frontline source reported Burmese army troops belonging to 297th Light Infantry Battalion first attacked KIA troops with MG-42 and smaller firearms followed by 9 rounds of 60 mm mortar shells.

Meanwhile in northern Shan State near a gas station north of Nam Um, KIA troops belonging to 9th and 29th Battalions under 4th Brigade engaged Burmese army troops at around 10:00 a.m. on January 9, the KLN has learned.

On January 7 at around 11:45 a.m., clashes reportedly erupted between KIA troops from 36th Battalion under 6th Brigade and Burmese army troops from 99th Light Infantry Regiment.

On January 6, 21 military trucks transporting Burmese army troops from Nam Hkam to Muse were reportedly ambushed by KIA troops belonging to 9th Battalion under 4th Brigade in northern Shan State at around 10:30 p.m. On the same day at 2:58 p.m. next to Kutkai High School No.1, KIA troops reportedly engaged Burmese army infantry troops advancing from Ta Mong Nye. In response, Burmese army troops recklessly started shooting at surrounding areas and as a results two young girls and a man in marine shirt from the nearby gas station died from the gunshots.

A heavy mortar shell fired by Burmese army troops reportedly fell on Mr. Zau Shan’s house in Quarter 6 in Kutkai on January 6. Furthermore, Kutkai civilians are not able to move around due to Burmese army troops taking up positions in the town, a Kutkai source reported.