originally published by The Kachin Post on June 20, 2011 as
Fresh civil war slaughtered over a hundred Burmese soldiers
photographs provided by the KIO
The firece fighting between troops from Kachin Independence Army, armed wing of Kachin Independence Organization, and Burma Army claimed over a hundred of Burmese soldiers and two batallion commanders’ lives within over a week of newly civil war which broke out in northern Burma, according the battle reports from KIO.
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KIO source said an average of ten Burmese soldiers were killed daily and several dozens were wounded in a week. KIA captured six Burmese soldiers alive in northern Shan State battle zone.
Majority of Burma Army casualties occurred during the first battle in Sang Gang area of southeastern Kachin State, the area closed to China border. Over couple dozens of Burmese soldiers died and more than a few dozens wounded, while Burma Army was trying to control KIA’s Bum Sen post on June 9, attempting to control nearby hydro-power projects run by a Chinese company.
In the first battle of Sang Gang, a private Aung Ja from KIA gunned down thirty Burmese soldiers in one spot and later he was honored for bravery. According to KIA, A tactical operation commander Col. Aung Thu was severely injured by KIA’s motor shell and later died in the hospital. KIA lost only four soldiers, one was tortured and killed by Burma Army while he was detained as prisoners of war and other three died after they stepped on its own mine.
Another Burma Army battalion commander Lt-Col Tin Maung Soe of LIB 297 was killed by KIA’s bomb attack on June 16, 2011 on his way to inspect a damage bridge which was earlier destroyed by KIA. Ten other Burmese soldiers also died in the incident. Burma Army LIB 297 is based in Ja Htu Zup in Hugawng Valley of Western Kachin State.
Seven Burmese soldiers were killed in the battle with KIA in Sinbo in central Kachin State on June 17. Three more were shot down by KIA sniper platoon in the next day. Another thirteen Burmese soldiers were found dead after fighting and twelve Burmese soldiers were killed by KIA’s mine in the same area on June 19. One KIA soldier got minor injured.
On June 16, thirty Burmese soldiers killed after the clash with KIA in Nam San Yang village, located on the Myitkyina-Bhamo Highway. On June 19, five Burmese soldiers were killed after KIA bomb attacked the military security affair office in Nam San Yang.
More than 20 Burmese soldiers and police from Laja Yang post were bomb attacked by KIA on June 16, on their way back to Myitkyina. The source said a dozen dead and the rest injured.
In response, the Burmese Army raped seven Kachin women and four of them were later murdered.
Over tens of thousands of Kachin refugee fled to KIO control area and Chinese border to avoid atrocities and forced porter by Burma Army.
