Failure to Seize the Strategic Hill from Ethnic Armed KIA, Myanmar Military Battalion Commander Killed

JAKARTA - Myanmar's military suffered numerous casualties in an attempt to retake the hill base from the ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed ethnic military wing of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO).

The strategic hill, located on the Chinese border, was successfully occupied by KIA in an attack in March. Since Sunday, Myanmar's military regime has staged a massive offensive to retake the region.

Hundreds of Myanmar military ground troops and two fighter jets were deployed to seize the strategic hill named Alaw Bum and located about 30 kilometers south of KIA's headquarters in Laiza.

However, the KIA has so far managed to survive, with Myanmar military regime forces reportedly suffering heavy losses, including an infantry battalion commander killed.

"Everything is under KIA's control. Their armed forces are still a long way from the Alaw Bum base. I don't know if they will back down", Armed Ethnic KIA Spokesman Colonel Naw Bu told Myanmar Now Wednesday, April 14.

The base is near a highway in Kachin State that connects Laiza to the border town of Mai Ja Yang, where many internally displaced people (IDPs) live.

The Myanmar military has been known to control Alaw Bum Hill since 1987, cutting off routes between the two cities and launching artillery strikes on KIA bases and IDP camps, a KIA officer told network media group last month.

KIA captured Alaw Bum on March 25, Myanmar's military regime since Sunday trying to retake the strategic hill. In addition to ground troops, warplanes and helicopters were also deployed to carry out attacks.

Last Monday, KIA managed to control police posts and military posts where soldiers built communication towers. This scramble will make it harder for Myanmar's military ground forces to reach Alaw Bum.

Since the coup, KIA has attacked military bases and police posts in Hpakant, Mokaung, Injanyang, Waingmaw, and Momauk.

Myanmar coup. VOI's editor continues to monitor the political situation in one of ASEAN's member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. Readers can follow the news about Myanmar's military coup by tapping this link.