The Myanmar Times quoted rebel sources
saying that clashes occurred south of the
Kachin Independence Army’s stronghold
at Laiza, and near the town of Pangwa in
the northern Kachin state near the China-
Myanmar border.
"Day by day the fighting is continuing,"
said U Myint Thane, joint general
secretary of the National Council of the
Union of Burma, based in Thailand. "It has
disappointed all of us." Fighting in the
Kachin state has frustrated efforts by the
reform government of President Thein
Sein to end the ethnic strife that has
plagued the country since independence
from Britain in 1948.
Kachin rebel leaders have blamed
hardline officers of the army for mounting
new offensives in the state.
"We’ve had reports that there are over
400 (Myanmar army) troops near Laiza
and more than 500 near Pangwa," Myin
Thane said.
Fighting has occurred every day since
December 13, with the military deploying
helicopter gunships and heavy artillery
against the Kachin rebels, according to
rebel sources.//DPA
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