Ethnic Armed KIA Again Seize A Number Of Outposts Of Myanmar Military Regime

KIA army. (Source: World Policy.Org/Diana Markosian)

JAKARTA - The armed ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was again involved in a gun battle with the Myanmar military regime forces. Not only in one location, but the attacks were also carried out in a number of locations from Sunday night to Monday night.

This time, the armed clashes took place in Lone Khin Village, Hpakant Township, Kachin. KIA soldiers attacked a police post in Maden Yang. The number of victims is still unknown.

"We heard gunfire and explosions until 9 pm. Residents were planning to flee their homes because gunfire was heard every night recently," said a local resident, as reported by The Irrawaddy, Wednesday, April 21.

Meanwhile, the 6th KIA Battalion launched an attack on the outpost of the 33rd Division of the Myanmar military in Hpakant Township. On Sunday night and Monday morning, they attacked two military posts near Gensi village in Lone Khin village and Aungbarlay village, according to local residents.

"The Myanmar military responded with fighter jets at around 9 am this morning and residents from Gensi and Aungbarlay had to flee. About 1,000 people from the two villages have already fled," said a Gensi resident.

Locals said the ethnic armed KIA occupied the two military posts on Monday morning. KIA information officer Colonel Naw Bu confirmed the armed group's ongoing fighting with the Myanmar military in Hpakant but said he was unable to contact commanders on the ground and therefore did not know exact details.

"Recently, as a precautionary measure, our troops on the front lines have seized military posts depending on the situation. The headquarters did not instruct them to occupy this or that post. The commanders on the ground assessed the situation and decided which outposts to attack. we are focused on reclaiming outposts that we previously defeated by the military," said Colonel Naw Bu.

The two bases that KIA attacked on the previous Sunday and Monday were the KIA 6th Battalion outposts. The Myanmar military seized the two posts in 2016.

Following the February 1's coup, KIA asked the Myanmar military regime's Northern Command not to harm the Kachin people who were staging peaceful anti-coup protests.

But tensions escalated after two civilians were shot dead in a crackdown by security forces against anti-regime protesters in the Kachin capital, Myitkyina, a month later.

Since then, KIA has carried out a series of attacks on police and military posts in the small towns of Injangyang, Momauk, Namtu, Hpakant, Tanai, and Shwegu. KIA also occupied the strategic Alaw Bum base near the border with China.

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