At least two soldiers of the Burmese government-backed Kachin Border Guard Force (BGF) were killed during a two hour clash with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the northern part of the state over the weekend.
The fighting started after the BGF attacked several KIA bases in the towns of Chipwi and Sawlaw, in Pangwa region, according to San Aung, a peace broker with the KIA’s political wing—the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).
The BGF members used to be part of the disbanded New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDAK) that defected from the KIA.
BGF soldiers allegedly received support from government troops during the attacks to target a KIA brigade 1 battalion. The government Light Infantry Battalion No. 521 was thought to be assisting the BGF group with 60 mm rocket-propelled grenade launchers, according to KIA sources.
San Aung told the Irrawaddy that the fighting on Saturday would have escalated if the Burma military didn’t make the BGF stop their offensive.
KIO leaders met with the government Union Level Peace Making team where they signed a seven point agreement intended to monitor and de-escalate the tensions between both sides. Despite being written in vague language, the agreement, in principle, was a good next step. However clashes have continued since it was inked at the end of May.
In June of 2011 the government broke a 17 year ceasefire with the KIO. Although both groups have met many times to discuss peace since the conflict erupted, fighting continues unabated.
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