Locals Concerned As More Burmese Army Troops Arrived

Kachinland News | April 5, 2017

Locals are concerned about new offensives as more Burmese army troops arrived in KIA’s headquarters Laiza area, western and southern Kachin State.

A KLN frontline source said Burmese army’s 37th and 58th LIB troops entered Man Dawng and Lai Hpawng in the last week of March. Burmese army’s 38th LIB, 271st LIB, and 89th LIB troops arrived in Lai Lum Awng Ja, Sut Shang and Ntap Bum.

Similarly, Burmese army’s 252nd LIB, 384th LIR, and 388th LIR troops under Pakokku-based 101st LID and Mogaung based 3rd MOC entered KIA’s headquarters area and positioned at Ding Ga, Lai Hpawng and Daga Yang.

Burmese army troops currently based at Gang Dau Yang reportedly shot and killed 3 oxen belong to villagers for food on March 29, reported a KLN source.

In western Kachin State, about 400 Burmese army troops under Pakokku-based 101st LID arrived in Gau Ri and Ka Maing on March 30.

About 80 Burmese army troops from 236th LIB and 437th LIR arrived in Hka Pra Yang and Sin Di Bum in southeastern Kachin State on April 1, and another 100 troops arrived in Chyaut Hpya on March 29.

As more ground troops entered Kachin region, Burmese military fighter jets and helicopters were seen flying over Hpa Lap Bum at old Pa Jau village on April 2, KIA’s 11th Battalion area on March 11 and Madang Yang area on March 28 respectively.

Meanwhile, battle rages between KIA’s 27th Battalion troops and Burmese army’s 236th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) troops at Kadung Kadik, located north of Hka Pra Yang village in Mansi Township, on April 5 at 7:10 a.m, reported a KLN frontline source.

The source said Burmese troops forcibly took two Mung Hkawng villagers as guides and entered KIA’s 27th Battalion controlled area beginning earlier this week.

In northern Shan State, KIA’s 8th Battalion troops under 4th Brigade encountered an unknown Burmese Army unit at a location between Nawng Pa and Nawng Hoi village in Nampaka Township on April 1 at 1 p.m.

Over 100 Burmese army troops from Inndine-based 11st LID troops arrived in Hpai Kawng and Hka Lum, about 50 troops arrived in Mung Ya area, and about 100 troops in Hu Hpyet area during the last week of March.

Similarly, more Burmese army troops from Magway-based 88th LID and Meiktila-based 99th LID arrived in Hu Mung, Dawk Chyau, Ta Gu Di, and Bang Sak in northern Shan State.