Tatmadaw continues attacks in Kachin despite recent truce

22 January 2013: Despite its official announcement of ceasefire last Saturday, the Tatmadaw continues military offensive in several parts of Kachin State, sources revealed.

Burma Army soldiers burnt down a Kachin village of Na Long with an estimated 100 houses in the afternoon yesterday.

Na Long is about 9km west of Lajayang, which is close to Laiza, and it is unknown whether any of the residents were still in the village, according to the Free Burma Rangers.

Burma Army attacked Hkaya Bum, one of the KIA (Kachin Independence Army) positions yesterday, using 60mm, 81mm and 82mm mortars and hand grenades at other Kachin outposts.

Around 9am in the morning on Sunday, about 60 Burma Army soldiers exchanged fire with KIA lines on the southern part of Hkaya Bum, sources from FBR in Kachin State said.

In another Sunday’s incident, battalions from Burma Army military Operation Command 7 launched attacks on KIA at Seng Ra village, pushing villagers to flee the fighting.

Burma’s government and Tatmadaw have been condemned for breaking promises hours after declaring to stop military ‘operations’ on 19 January 2013.

Meanwhile, Thein Sein’s government has continuously blamed KIO/KIA for the ongoing military offensive, claiming the Tatmadaw ‘had launched counter-firing only for self-defense in line with instructions of the President.’

Van Biak Thang
[email protected]