JAKARTA - Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Myanmar's military are again engaged in fierce and prolonged fighting. This time, the battle took place in Mansi Township, Kachin State.
The battle took place in the village of Madan Yang, about 8 km from Mansi on the road to Namkham in northern Shan State. KIA information officer Colonel Naw Bu confirmed the battle.
KIA attacked regime military forces on Tuesday. The military has carried out airstrikes. The fighting also continues until Thursday," he told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, May 13.
"KIA carried out the attack because the placement of junta troops in Mada Yang has limited the movement of KIA," continued Colonel Naw Bu.
When clashes broke out between myanmar's military and kia in Mansi Township from 2013 to 2017, villagers left their homes along the road from Mansi to Namkham and Mabein in Shan State.
At least 15 villages, including Mada Yang, were emptied after the battle. About 2,000 villagers are still in refugee camps elsewhere in Mansi. Myanmar's military is deployed in the abandoned village of Mada Yang.
"Mada Yang was previously under our control. Our troops retreated from Mansi street in 2013 and the military occupied it. This has created serious logistical problems for us. So we needed to retake control, so we attacked," colonel Naw Bu said.
Meanwhile, a local resident named La Ja said the Myanmar military was deployed along the battle site. On Tuesday, Myanmar military fighter jets carried out the bombing. On Wednesday, the jet was also spotted.
Tensions also mounted in Momauk as the military attempted to retake the Alaw Bum base near the Chinese border in the ethnically captured city of KIA in late March.
Fierce clashes continued in Momauk on Thursday morning and the main bridge on bhamo-Lweljel road in the city was damaged by a mine attack.
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.
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