Kachin fighting intensifies

Published on Friday, 28 December 2012 11:17

Fighting between government army troops and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is going on after it has intensified since December 25, local residents said.
Fighting continues though KIA ordered its troops at the front line to cease their fights on Christmas Day.
"The government army fired both small and heavy weapons in Panwa region on Christmas Day. Moreover, there were reports of heavy weapons in Lajayan region close to the KIA Headquarters. There is also ground fighting in Bwansawbwan. It is difficult to exactly say where battles are going on according to the Kachin map. There are villages in the affected areas," KIO spokesman La Nan said.
According to him, the government army kept firing heavy weapons in Lajayan from 4 am until 12 noon on December 26, and the firing resumed at about 2pm.
When the Eleven Media Group asked some Kachin State government officials and the Northern Command about the armed clashes by phone, they declined to answer.
About 140 small and large battles have reportedly broken out this December.
The government army informed KIA on December 23 to withdraw their troops from Myitkyina-Banmaw route in northern Kachin State by December 25. But the KIO sent a reply of objection to it.
The government army issued the warning with an excuse that its troops would have to use the route to go to Lajayan army camp for administrative affairs.
The skirmish that happened on December 24 damaged some parts of Mali hydropower plant, owned by Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), supplying electricity to Waingmaw and capital Myitkyina, causing power cuts.