Burma army uses air strikes on KIO days after historic Naypyidaw meeting

KIO vice Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gun Maw (left), General Secretary Dr. La Ja (middle) and Sumlut Gam, head of KIO peace delegation team, met Kachin community in Rangoon on Mar 22, 2015

On Sunday morning just days after an unprecedented meeting in Naypyidaw last week between senior representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and President Thein Sein as well as the head of the armed forces Min Aung Hlaing, the Burma army launched repeated attacks on KIO positions.

According to a KIO spokesman, Dumsa Dau Hka, the government side used air strikes on KIO targets on Sunday two fighter jets were reportedly used to attack Kachin Independence Army's Battalion 27 units stationed in Kai Htik village.

The latest wave of fighting which took place in eastern Kachin state in Mansi township, could affect the recent progress made between the KIO their fellow ethnic armed groups and the government negotiators during meetings in Yangon last week.  Although it appears that further talks will continue next week.

Lah Nan, the KIO's chief spokesperson told the Burmese section of the Voice of America (VOA) on Monday that the army was likely taking advantage of the peace oppress to make military gains. "Given the fact that we were attacked whenever we held talks in the past, [the Burma army] appears to be taking advantage of the current talks in Yangon by invading our small bases. But, the attack hasn't seemed to disrupt the peace talks," Lah Nan said.