Burmese Fighter Jets Pounded KIA’s 12th Battalion Headquarters with Cluster Bombs

By Tsa Doi La & Nmang Gam / Kachinland News (KLN) | January 16, 2017

Two Burmese fighter jets Sunday pounded KIA’s 12th Battalion Headquarters at Man Gau in Mansi Township around 12:15 p.m.

A cluster bomb dropped from a fighter jet exploded about 100 meters above ground causing damage to an office building, reported a KLN frontline source. Small bomblets exploded over a wide area sending shrapnel in all directions and releasing some gas that caused KIA troops nauseous and dizzy to fainting, said the source.

Similarly on January 14, a pair of Burmese fighter jets coming from Myitkyina Base at around 12:00 p.m. flew south along the Irrawaddy river and carried out airstrikes at around 12:21 p.m. on KIA’s 12th Battalion Headquarters and Man Jak outpost.

Battles continue between KIA’s 34th Battalion troops and Burmese army troops currently stationed at Loi Hkam Church hill on January 15 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Burmese army troops currently stationed at Nam Lim Pa fired multiple artillery rounds on KIA 12th Battalion’s Headquarters on January 15. On the same day, Burmese army troops currently based at Alaw Bum fired two 60 mm mortar rounds on KIA’s 30th Battalion position on January 15 at 12 p.m.

On January 14 at around 6:30 a.m. in southern Kachin State, clashes reportedly erupted on Loi Hkam Church hill between KIA’s 12 Battalion troops under 3rd Brigade and Burmese army troops belonging to 13th and 83rd Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) under 88th Light Infantry Division. On the same day at around 10:30 a.m., fighting erupted for 10 minutes when an unknown Burmese army unit bumped into KIA patrols, and again in Nam Lwi Pa at around 11:45 a.m., the KLN frontline source reported.

Meanwhile in northern Shan State on January 13 at around 4:00 p.m., clashes were reported along Kawng Lim – Man Pyawng Hkyet route as the patrolling KIA’s 8th Battalion troops under 4th Brigade engaged Burmese army troops belonging to 99th Light Infantry Regiment, another frontline source reported.