Burmese Military Launches Airstrikes on KIA’s Lai Hpawng Post; Battles Continue Unabated

By Tsa Doi La & Nmang Gam / Kachinland News (KLN) | December 21, 2016

Burmese military fighter jets launch multiple airstrikes for three consecutive days on KIA’s Lai Hpawng post manned by KIA’s 3rd Battalion troops under 5th Brigade.

Four fighter jets Wednesday began firing rockets on Lai Hpawng post at around 9:20 am. At least 14 rounds of airstrikes were fired by four fighter jets that came in a pair between 9:20 a.m. – 2:05 p.m, reported a KIA frontline source. The source said the airstrikes on Lai Hpawng post are even more intense than the ones on Gidon post.

Following the airstrikes, Burmese army combat troops made advance towards Lai Hpawng post at around 2:10 pm but repelled by KIA troops at around 4:20 pm, reported the frontline source. After the ground troops withdrawn, Lai Hpawng post and Law Hkum Bum were again pounded continuously with Burmese army’s 105 mm and 120 mm artillery shells.

Similarly, two Burmese military fighter jets coming from Myitkyina launched two separate attacks on Lai Hpawng post on December 20 at 3:00 p.m. and  3:45 p.m. respectively. In addition to the airstrikes on the same day from 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Burmese army troops now based at Point 1103 and Dabak reportedly fired 40 heavy mortar rounds towards Lai Hpawng post. Earlier in the morning, Burmese army troops began the day by firing several dozens of mortar shells on Law Hpyu and Tang Lai villages.

Meanwhile, battles continue to rage in other parts of Kachin state and northern Shan State.

Burmese army troops on December 19 at around 12:00 a.m. fired 4 heavy artillery rounds at KIA’s 4th Battalion troops under 1st Brigade in northwestern Kachin State.

Beginning 12:00 a.m. on December 18 until 7:00 a.m. on December 19, Burmese army troops based at Hkang Kai and Hpun Pyen Bum fired 27 heavy artillery rounds towards KIA positions in Lawa Yang and Lahkum Bum, near KIO administrative capital Laiza.

In northern Shan State, fighting erupted between Mung Li and Dima villages on December 19 from around 3:30 p.m., between KIA’s 9th Battalion troops under 4th Brigade and Burmese army troops from 33rd Light Infantry Division(LID) advancing from Jat Bat.

Clashes were reported between troops from KIA’s 36th Battalion under 6th Brigade and Burmese army’s 99th LID troops advancing from Pang Sai on December 19 beginning at around 9:00 a.m. between Hpung Ga and Hpa Hkam villages.