A skirmish broke out between troops from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Battalion 37 and the Burma Army near Mannaung Village in Mongbaw, northern Shan State at about 9am on 27 March.
A senior official from KIA Regiment 6 told KNG that it was the Burma Army who attacked the KIA.
He said: “When three soldiers from our side went to gather water the Burma Army came in between us and shot at our men. That’s why a short skirmish took place. Our men are fine. They have all arrived in one piece this evening,”
He also claimed that Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) had been supporting and cooperating with the Burma Army in the area.
He said: “Our Battalion 37 has been moving around Mannaung village of Mongbaw. The Shan Army [RCSS/SSA] followed us wherever we went and shot at us. The Burma Army and the Shan Army [RCSS/SSA] have been moving together.”
The RCSS/SSA leader General Yawd Serk denied that there was any military cooperation between the RCSS/SSA when asked by KNG at the Ethnic Armed Organisations’ (EAO) conference held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 25 March.
Seven EAOs who have not signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), including the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), held a meeting at the United Wa State Army (UWSA) headquarters in Pansang, Wa State on 26 March.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
