Network Media Group / BNI Online | April 6, 2018

Fighting between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations has escalated recently in the Kachin State and the northern Shan State.

The Tatmadaw has been fighting with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the Kachin State and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in the northern Shan State.

Fighting resumed between the KIA and the Tatmadaw in the KIA Battalion 1 of Brigade 3 area in Mansi Township since March 30, according to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)’s information officer Col Naw Bu.

“There have been irregular clashes after

[the Tatmadaw] attacked on March 30 and 31, but clashes has been breaking out nearly every day within two or three days. The latest clash broke out this morning (April 5). I haven’t heard about any clashes taking place in the afternoon,” he said.

Col Naw Bu said the skirmishes have been breaking out in the east of Mansi and Bhamo after the Tatmadaw launched offensives in the area controlled by the KIA Battalion 1 under Brigade 3.

The office of the Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief announced on April 3 that the Tatmadaw and the KIA has fought three times due to illegal logging carried out by the KIA while the Tatmadaw was clearing the area in Mansi Township.

The Tatmadaw has also been fighting with the Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) in Namhsan and Namtu townships in the northern Shan State, according to the PSLF/TNLA.

“Clashes broke out in Namtu Township yesterday (April 4). They broke out in two areas in Namtu Township from 8:30 am to 9:30 am yesterday near Kawng Huong [Village]. The second clash broke out from 8:55 to 9:40 in Pang Tawng Village,” said Maj Mai Aik Kyaw, information officer of the PSLF/TNLA.

Maj Mai Aik Kyaw continued that the Tatmadaw and the PSLF/TNLA clashed twice near Myo Thit and Kawng Kwan villages in Namhsan Township and once near Kawng Huong Village in Namtu Township on April 2.

The PSLF/TNLA said it has clashed ten times with the Tatmadaw within this month.

The KIO/KIA said tension is high between the KIA and Tatmadaw as the Tatmadaw has reinforced its troops in Tanai and Sumprabum townships in the Kachin State and it still has not withdrawn its troops.

Local residents said they are facing travel restrictions and human rights violations as a result of frequent clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations in the Kachin State and the northern Shan State.

Both the KIO/KIA and the PSLF/TNLA are members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee, which is led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

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This article originally appeared on BNI Online on April 6, 2018.

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