Tatmadaw, KIA Involved in Four Skirmishes Near Hpakant

By Zeyar Maw / Mizzima | June 2, 2018

Kachin Independence Army (KIA) spokesman Col. Naw Bu confirmed to Mizzima that the Tatmadaw (government troops) and the KIA had engagements and skirmishes in area near Hpakant and Karmine Townships, Kachin State on May 30.

“We had engagements and skirmishes not in military operations as before. These lasted a few minutes and then there was calm again. Now the situation has come to normalcy,” Col. Naw Bu said on 1 June.

The fighting erupted again after lull in Kachin State for about two weeks.

Col. Naw Bu said, “We had fighting with them in about four places as we are closely monitoring each other. We had fighting with them when the Tatmadaw made a little move and also when the KIA made its military movement in the area.”

After the KIA made a surprise attack on a Tatmadaw outpost at Twin Bridge in Hpakant on April 11, fresh fighting erupted again between the Tatmadaw and the KIA almost daily and which forced thousands of local people to flee from their homes.