Lieutenant Saw Prah, company commander of the KNLA 2nd Brigade’s security force told Karen News that the fighting was between his soldiers and the Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion 589 from the Kyaukgyi-based Tactical Command 3 under its Southern Military Command at an area near Tha Byay Nyunt Village in Baw Gali Sub-Township in Thaundaung Township.

The KNLA’s Lieutenant Saw Prah blamed the government troop for crossing the agreed-on permitted line.

He said: “We have set routes for government troops to travel freely within the areas. This fighting occurred as the government troops came into our controlled area outside of the set routes and without informing us. Our soldiers opened fire first as they [the Burma Army] came into our area without letting us know.”

Lt. Saw Prah said that the fighting only lasted for a few minutes. He said that if government troops kept to the rules and regulations set down and agreed to by two sides, there would not be any incidents.

This was the latest in a series of incidents. On 22 April fighting broke out between KNLA soldiers from 5th Brigade and troops from the government militia, the Border Guard Force (BGF) battalion 1014, from Kamamaung Township – one BGF soldier was wounded.

A local KNLA official accused the Burma Army of entering KNLA controlled areas using the excuse that they are teaching their new soldiers about the territory.

A ceasefire observer, monitoring the situation said that unless the leaders at the negotiation peace table make the ceasefire agreement concrete, these armed clashes would continue.

He said: “These incidents have happened because the leaders from both sides failed to implement the ceasefire agreement seriously and systematically. It is normal that the front line [troops] will not take the agreement seriously and will attempt to violate the agreement intentionally or unintentionally.”

Edited for BNI by Mark Inkey