Burma army attacks IDP camps as offensive continues in southern Kachin state

Burma's military has been accused of attacking and then looting internally displaced persons camps in southern Kachin state earlier this week. According to representatives of the UK based Kachin National Organization, the largest Kachin diaspora group, on Tuesday morning army units engaged in an offensive against Kachin Independence Army positions in Mansi Township, firing shells at an IDP camp located in Mung Ding Pa village.

Burma army traps 700 Kachin civilians in church for three days

Burmese soldiers.

Government forces have confined an estimated 700 Kachin civilians, mostly women and children, to a church compound in southern Kachin state's Mansi township, the Kachin News Group has learned.  The army's refusal to let any of the trapped villagers leave church grounds comes amid escalating tensions between the military and the armed wing of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).

Clashes between KIA and Burma army continues in Mabein and Mansi

Fighting between Burma government forces and the Kachin Independence Army continued yesterday in northern Shan state’s Mabein township, an area bordering Kachin state and the territory of KIA battalion 12 under 3rd brigade, the Kachin News Group has learned.

KIO withdraws two posts in Burma's northern Shan state

A KIA soldier secures Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin state, northern Burma.

Last week troops from the Kachin Independence Organization's (KIO) armed wing withdrew from two posts in western Shan state's Mabein township close to the Kachin state border, according to KIO officials. The withdrawal took place after Burmese government officials met with a KIO delegation in Kachin state’s capital Myitkyina on October 8th to 10th.

Burma Army implicated in torture of Kachin pastor

Major Myo Min Htun, a deputy commander from the Burma army's Infantry Battalion No. 137, is directly responsible for the torture of reverend Ram Mai in September in northern Kachin state's Putao district, according to officials from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC).  The KBC is the largest church organization in Kachin state where a majority of the Kachin population is Baptist.

3 injured, Burma Army retreats following clash in Mabein

At least three government soldiers were injured in two mine attacks by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on Wednesday morning, after Burmese troops attempted to invade KIA territory in Shan state's Nam Hkam township. Burma Army troops have since retreated from KIA-controlled Man Sawn and have returned to their base in nearby Nam Hkam.

Burma Army and KIA clash in Mabein township

Fighting broke out between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Mabein township of northern Shan state around 5pm on Tuesday evening, five days after the latest round of peace talks in Kachin state capital Myitkyina, said KIA officials.

Burma's Kachin talks end without full ceasefire agreement

Burmese government's peace negotiator Aung Min (right) shake handed with Sumlut Gam, leader of KIO delegation on Oct. 10.

Three days of peace talks between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and government negotiators ended today in Myitkyina with a positive joint statement from both sides. The joint statement indicated that both the KIO and the government were in favor of moving forward with the 7 point agreement reached in May aimed at deescalating tensions. The statement stopped short however of declaring a full ceasefire.

KIO talks proceed as Burma army jets fly low over Myitkyina

As representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) sat down with government negotiators for the first day of talks in Myitkyina on Tuesday, two military jets flew over the Kachin state capital at a very low altitude. The roaring sounds of the Chinese built jets could be heard inside Majoi Gawknu hall where the peace talks were taking place, according to witnesses. The fly over took place sometime after 1 PM on Tuesday afternoon.

Aung Min down plays recent Kachin clashes as Burma army sends more troops

U Aung Min with holding KIO flag

During an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA) this week President Thein Sein's chief negotiator, Aung Min, sought to down play recent clashes between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the military.  “Only 29 small clashes have occurred within the past four months” Aung Min claimed before adding that the “fighting has decreased by 90 percent."   While the frequency and intensity of the clashes has noticeably decreased since January when heavy fighting took place near the KIO's de facto capital Laiza, it is unclear if the fighting has really been reduced by 90% as Aung Min maintains. Beginning in late August and carrying into September heavy fighting broke out between KIO and the military in northern Kachin state's Putao district, an area where until this point little fighting had occurred.

KIO's convoy arrives in Myitkyina for talks

Vice-chief of staff of the Kachin Independence Army Major General Gun Maw arrives in Myitkyina on Monday afternoon (Photo Jade Land).

On Monday afternoon a convoy carrying senior Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) leader Major General Sumlut Gun Maw reached Myitkyina, the Kachin state capital. Arriving in what appeared to be a green hummer the popular KIO leader made a grand entrance to the KIO's recently re-opened Myitkyina office compound. Gun Maw and the rest of the negotiating team were met with a large crowd of well-wishers at the gates of the compound which is across the street from the Myitkyina's Manau park.

Smoke from shells makes KIO troops sick in Shan state

A gas mask for chemical protection was used by KIA soldiers during Ntat Bum war on Myitkyina-Bhamo highway in November 2011.

Last Friday troops from Burma's military fired shells containing an unknown chemical at Kachin Independence Army (KIA) forces in Shan state, an officer with the KIA claims.

Burma army officer not beheaded by KIO say villagers

A KIA soldier takes position at a frontline near Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin state.

Residents of Nhka Ga village in Putao district recently told a group of visiting officials from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) that the Burma army officer reportedly killed by Kachin Independence Army forces on August 29, was not decapitated as has been alleged by the military.

Burma army kills Kachin civilians in Putao district as others barred from fleeing

Burma army officers and a local pro-government Ahdang militia in Putao district,, northern Kachin state

Three villagers including an assistant pastor were killed in northern Kachin state's Putao district last month after they were detained by soldiers from Infantry Battalions No. 137, according to Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) officials.

Fever spreads in Burma's Kachin IDP camp

Zai Awng or Mung Ga Zup IDP camp in Waingmaw township in eastern Kachin state.

Fevers and colds have spread throughout Zai Awng (also known as Mung Ga Zup) internally displaced people's (IDP) camp in Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) controlled territory in eastern Kachin state's Waingmaw township, according to relief officials from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC).