Fighting between the regime and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) broke out twice in Kutkai Township, northern Shan state, on 9 June.
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In the first clash at 11am, the KIA fought for an hour with 100 Burma army soldiers near Mabein until the junta soldiers withdrew from the area, said a man who preferred to remain anonymous. He could not say if there were any casualties on either side. Shelling landed near a village.
“We heard both light and heavy weapons during the clash in the evening” at 6pm, he said, not far from the village and near Namhpetka. This time there were casualties, but the man could not say how many. On the same day, ten trucks carrying regime soldiers were spotted driving from Hsenwi, also called Theinni, to Kutkai town.
Since 3 July, the KIA has been fighting the Burma army near the defacto headquarters of the group’s political arm, the Kachin Independence Organisation, in Kachin State.
The regime has declared a unilateral, one-year ceasefire, but has used this period to launch attacks on the KIA and many other groups fighting to overthrow the dictatorship.
