Clashes between Myanmar troops, armed group continue in northernmost state

Armed clashes between Myanmar government forces and the ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) continued in the northernmost Kachin state on Friday, Kachin State Security Minister's Office said.

The battle took place at a location about 25.6 km from Ingyanyan at 1:30 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), the sources told Xinhua, adding that the clashes were not as heavy as Thursday's.

Casualties of both sides were being calculated, the sources said.

The government forces have access to the area where more than 1, 000 local people were trapped in the battle, according to the sources.

Heavy clashes erupted between the government troops and the KIA in Phakant on Thursday following a KIA ambush on a convoy of Kachin state Transport Minister U Kamann Du Naw on Wednesday on a highway.

Shooting in the air, the 25-member armed group intercepted the convoy while the minister was traveling on an inspection tour.

Although the minister was freed and allowed to continue his tour after questioning, three police officers, who escorted the minister, were abducted with arms and ammunition.

The regional authorities have been seeking negotiations with the KIA for the release of the abductees.

However, the fate of the police officers was still unknown yet.

It was another major incident between the government and the KIA since November last year when the two sides witnessed clashes in Bhamo of the state.

The KIA claimed that a total of 23 trainees were killed and 20 others wounded in the government forces' artillery shelling on a KIA military training school near Laiza. Endi