Burma army takes another KIA post in southern Kachin state

KIA troops take a military exercise in Bhamo district in Kachin state, northern Burma.

Burma army troops captured another Kachin Independence Army (KIA) post in Bhamo district in southern Kachin state on Thursday following a day of heavy fighting, KIA Battalion 12 commander Major Labang Jawn Awng told the Kachin News Group.

The important post located at Gawngrun village in Mansi (also Manje) township was captured in the evening by a group of over 300 Burmese troops, said Jawn Awng. The post was part of KIA Battalion 12 under the group's 3rd Brigade.

Major Jawng Awng told KNG that the fighting was heavy. “A government column of three battalions with over 300 troops from Light Infantry Battalion No. 601, Infantry Battalion No. 276 and IB No. 237 attacked our post when there were only two squadrons there. We fought the whole day to save a trapped soldier,” he said.

After the fighting ended two more army columns from LIB No. 602 and IB No. 56 were seen heading to Gawngrun as reinforcement, according to commander Jawn Awng.

During the fighting on Thursday, two KIA soldiers were wounded but it remains unclear how many government troops were injured, Jawn Awng said.

One week ago, the Dagaw Mada post, which was controlled by the KIA 3rd brigade’s Battalion 1 on the Bhamo to Loije road, was captured by the Mansi based Light Infantry Battalion No. 319 following a surprise attack.