Battle Between Burmese Army And Kokang Intensifies

The battle between Burmese troops and ethnic Kokang rebels is becoming fiercer and intensifying in the rebel territories along the Sino-Burma border in northeast Shan State, said frontline sources.

Nearly 30,000 refugees, especially a Chinese clan Kokang have fled to different areas in Chinese territory by crossing the border since the escalation of military tension between the Burmese Army and the rebels on August 8, said border sources.

As many as 30,000 people have fled Myanmar to China as a result of the clashes.

Chinese authorities have opened seven refugee camps in its territory bordering Kokang and are supplying food, drinking water, first aid and providing huts. The Chinese are also dropping food from military aircraft to Kokang refugees outside refugee camps in different areas, said border sources.

Rebel sources said most refugees fled to China as of August 24 (Thursday), the night when Burmese soldiers wearing police uniforms overran the rebel’s headquarters Laogai without a single shot being fired. From dawn yesterday, rebel troops led by Peng Jiasheng and Burmese troops exchanged heavy mortar fire in Laogai, Chinshwehaw and Wanchansu in the rebel territories in northeast Shan State bordering China’s Yunnan province, said Kokang sources.

The rebel military bases are located mainly on the high mountains and they fired 75 mm and 120 mm mortar shells randomly at Burmese troops, said frontline sources.

According to sources close to rebels, more than 240 bodies of Burmese soldiers including those of 20 policemen were found in three battle zones in yesterday’s clashes. Dozens of Burmese soldiers have been captured by the rebels.

On the Kokang side, over a dozen soldiers died and dozens were injured in yesterday’s battle, said sources close to the rebels.

Many Burmese soldiers are abandoning their arms and fleeing to Monggo and Muse areas near the war zones, said residents in these areas.

Yesterday, over 2000 United Wa State Army (UWSA) troops, an ally of the Kokang rebel, launched a swift offensive against Burmese troops in Chinshwehaw, another Kokang base and recaptured it from the Burmese troops. Chinshwehaw is now with UWSA. It was captured from the rebels early this week by Burmese troops, said sources close to UWSA.

Over 4,000 Burmese troops have arrived as reinforcements from Meiktila in Mandalay Division to the Teinni (Hsenwi in Shan and Sinli in Kachin) on Mandalay-Muse border trade route yesterday, according to local eyewitnesses.

The junta is also ordering policemen in every town in northeast Shan State to join the war with Kokang rebels, said Muse-based police station sources.

A resident of Kutkai on Mandalay-Muse border trade route told KNG today that Burmese soldiers are forcibly using civilians as porters for carrying military rations and weapons since yesterday morning.

There are also civilian casualties in the three-day battle between the Burmese troops and rebels but exact numbers cannot be stated, said rebel sources.

At the same time, another ally of Kokang, Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is on high alert in Kachin State and Northeast Shan State. They are authorized to shoot all Burmese troops who intrude to the KIA’s territories without waiting for the first shoot policy from Burmese soldiers, said KIA officials in Laiza headquarters in Kachin State.

The KIA’s 4th brigade and three battalions under the brigade base in northeast Shan State, the Loikang-based brigade command is connecting with the northern territories of Kokang territory separated by the Salween River (Sap Hkung Hka in Kachin) and the KIA is now in a standby position to defend itself from the offensive of intruding Burmese soldiers, said KIA officials in Laiza headquarters.

Chinese security agents are closely watching the battle between the Kokang rebel and the Burmese troops, said border sources.

Border based ethnic armed groups’ sources said, China views Burma’s ruling junta being responsible for the current battle with the Kokang because the war was started following dishonestly capturing the rebel’s headquarters Laogai on Monday.

Earlier, China warned both ethnic armed groups along with its border and the junta to avoid conflicts, said border sources.

Kachin News