Burma News International (BNI) | September 5, 2016

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), a splinter group of Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, has threatened to take action against the Burma Army and the Border Guard Forces (BGF) if they refuse to withdraw troops from near Kaung Hmu in Karen State.

Col Saw Sann Aung, from the splinter group, said: “If they won’t retreat, we will have to respond through military action with our forces.”

http://bnionline.net/news/karen-state/item/2248-karen-splinter-group-vows-military-action.html

http://bnionline.net/news/karen-state/item/2248-karen-splinter-group-vows-military-action.html

The announcement issued on 31 August, several days after fighting started with the DKBA, happened on the first day of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong in Naypyidaw.

The DKBA wanted to attend the five-day conference that ends on Sunday and sent letters in June and July to the government requesting an invitation, but these went unanswered.

Saw Sann Aung said that efforts to be included in the peace process have been ignored by the government and previous Thein Sein administration.

The latest fighting from 29 to 30 August happened after rumours circulated that the splinter group abducted five elephant handlers for ransom money.

Burma Army Infantry Battalion 230 and 231 and BGF Battalion 1016 reportedly attacked the DKBA, positioned west of Kaung Hmu village in Kawkareik Township.

At some point in the ordeal, DKBA Maj Nar Ma Kyar was rumoured to have been killed by one of the prisoners.

Col Saw Sann Aung has denied both the kidnapping and death of the major, but agreed that the group demanded money.

Led by Brig Gen Saw Kyaw Thet, the splinter group formed on 16 January after breaking away from the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army. Last year, its mother group was involved in extensive fighting with the Burma Army over the collection of toll fees on the new Asia Highway.

Reporting by Sa Isue for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff

This article originally appeared on Burma News International (BNI) on September 2, 2016.

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