Battles Continue in Kachin and Northern Shan State

Kachinland News, May 3, 2013

Battles continued to rage between Burmese army and ethnic armed groups – Kachin Independence Army, Shan State Army (North) and Ta-ang National Liberation Army – in northern Shan State. Local Shan, Palaung, Kachin and Chinese residents run to nearby cities fearing further imminent attacks by Burmese army, said local sources. Many locals have taken shelters in temporary camps and their relatives’ houses in Lashio, Kutkai and Tangyan townships since renewed battles began around the middle of March.

A battle took place between KIA’s 38th Battalion under 4th Brigade and Burmese army’s 125th Infantry Battalion near Man Jak village in northern Shan State on May 2 at 1:45 pm .

Another battle took place between KIA’s 36th Battalion and Burmese army’s Kutkai-based 242nd Infantry Battalion at an area located between Kawng Sa and Hpai Kawng village in northern Shan State on May 2 at 7:40 pm . The battle fought against Burmese army’s 242nd IB was a joint campaign of Kachin people militia (Mungshawa Hpyen Hpung in Kachin) and KIA troops under 36th Battalion, said a local frontline source.

In Kachin State, KIA’s 5th Battalion under 2nd Brigade fought against Burmese army’s 93rd Infantry Battalion near Namhkyi Maw village on May 3 at 5:20 pm.

Local observers said Burmese army escalated offensives in northern Shan State to clear twin pipeline route, to position itself against UWSA for future assaults, and to control border areas with an eventual aim of eliminating individual ethnic armed forces.