Burmese Army Fires Mortars Provoking KIA’s Counter Attack Near Laiza

Kachinland News (KLN) | July 5, 2016

More Burmese army troops have been deployed near KIO’s administrative capital Laiza as tensions have escalated between Kachin Independence Army and Burmese Army.

A KIA frontline officer said Burmese army made several mortar attacks and random gun fires on KIA positions and civilian areas provoking KIA troops to engage in battles near KIO’s administrative capital.

Burmese army troops currently positioned at Lai Lum Awng Ja randomly fired two artillery shells on small-scale gold mining area at Nam San Hka Lung Hkrung Jung on July 4 at 10 am. No casualties have been reported among gold miners. A KIO source said its officers had warned civilians and gold miners not to go to Nam San Hka Lung Hkrung Jung for gold mining.

Burmese army’s artillery unit currently stationed at Hpun Pyen Bum fired 2 mortar rounds on KIA frontline positions near Kumba Yang on July 3 at 8 pm. Burmese army troops also fired machine gun at random on KIA’s frontline positions near Lawa Yang on the same day provoking KIA troops for battles.

Another Burmese army’s artillery unit currently stationed at Hka Ya Bum fired 3 mortar rounds on KIA headquarters security forces’ positions at Shan Tawk Bum and Munglai Hkyek on July 2 at around 10:40 pm.

A battle took place between KIA’s headquarters security forces and about 200 Burmese army troops from 382nd Light Infantry Regiment and 51st Light Infantry Battalion near Lazing Kawng village, located just below Nam San Yang village, on July 1 at 6 am. The battle lasted for about 3 hours. No casualties were reported on either side. While the two sides engaged in ground battle, a helicopter was spotted hovering over Namsan Yang, reported a KIA source.

KIA’s 18th Battalion troops fought a combined force of Burmese army troops from 382nd Light Infantry Regiment and 63rd Light Infantry Battalion at a junction between Ban Dawng and Lazing Kawng village on June 30 at 10:50 am.

On the same day, a battle took place between Burmese army troops and KIA’s Mungshawa Kanawn Mazum (MKM) troops at Lazing Kawng School at around 12:30 am. After the encounter, Burmese army troops moved in to Roman Catholic Church compound in Lazing Kawng, reported a KIA frontline source.