Kachinland News (KLN) | November 9, 2016

Burmese army troops currently stationed at 105th mile, located on Burma road between Nampaka and Muse, on Tuesday fired several artillery shells on KIA positions and nearby civilian homes. The shelling took place following a battle between KIA’s 36th Battalion troops and Burmese army’s 113 Light Infantry Regiment under 99 th Light Infantry Division at Loi Jaw Bum in Mungkoe area on Nov 8 at around 8 am.

Similarly, TNLA sources said Burmese army troops fired 7 artillery rounds on civilian homes in Pan Jaroq village, Arram village, Pin Long village and Tar Let village in Nam Sam Township on Nov 8. Villagers and civilian homes have been subjected to continuous indiscriminate shelling on residential areas in Arram on Nov 7, Mungwi village in Namhkam Township on Nov 6, Man Long village and Tar Let village in Nam Sam Township on Oct 31, reported TNLA’s Information Department. TNLA said two civilians, Lwi Ei Eoi (20) and Mai Aik Mat (21) were injured by Burmese army’s shelling in Hu Man village in Nam San Township on Oct 30.

In southeastern Kachin State, KIA’s 252nd Battalion troops and Burmese army troops have been exchanging artillery fire almost daily in the past week. Burmese army troops fired several artillery rounds on KIA’s 252nd Mobile Battalion’s frontline posts Gidon, Dawi, and Tsanlun from Nhkram, Kagam, Dabak, and Lapai on Nov 7 between 10am to 11 am. A KIA source said Burmese troops fired 46 rounds of 82 mm, 105 mm and 120 mm mortar shells. KIA troops returned with artillery fires, said the source.

In western Kachin State, battles rage between KIA’s 6th Battalion troops and an unknown Burmese army unit at Lagat Yang in Kamaing area on Nov 9 beginning 6 am. Earlier yesterday, KIA sources said Burmese army’s 426th Light Infantry Regiment troops fired 3 rounds of 60 mm mortar shells on KIA’s 6th Battalion’s positions in a provocative attack.

Daily battles between KIA’s 36th Battalion troops and Burmese army troops under 99th Light Infantry Division in northern Shan State have been reported this past week.

On Nov 7, Burmese army troops reportedly from 261st Light Infantry Battalion entered Mung Lwi village’s church in Mungkoe area in northern Shan State and interrogated village elders at around 9 am. After initial interrogation at the church compound, Burmese soldiers took village elders to their base and continued questioning them, said a local resident. He said some elders were released on the same day at around 4:30 pm, but some elders were detained overnight and remained in Burmese army’s base.

This article originally appeared on Kachinland News (KLN) on November 9, 2016.