Clashes continue in Myanmar Kokang region in weekend

Some armed clashes between Myanmar' s government forces and the Kokang ethnic army continued in Kokang region, northeastern Shan state of Myanmar, over the weekend, the military-run Myawaddy Daily reported Monday.

The government side claimed seizing six bodies of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) with 30 arrested during some sporadic clashes in areas including Napan and Sinkyaing villages near Laukkai.

The government side suffered loss of four military officers with seven others injured, the report said, adding that over 300 rounds of ammunition with some rocket shells, mines and 2,000 electronic detonators were confiscated among others.

The government forces claimed occupation of some six strategically important hills where the MNDAA based and could reopen the Laukkai-Kongyan communication route for secure transport.

The MNDAA is termed by the government as Kokang renegade group.

An official report said earlier that displaced people had been returning to Kokang region's Laukkai successively since early last week as security had improved there following numerous armed clashes in the previous week.

Cleaning-up work is being done by local military personnel together with local people, social organizations and departmental staff in a bid to improve the appearance of the town, the report said.

The government claimed that stability could be restored in Laukkai as its forces combed the area with a total of 1,314 local people, who had taken refuge in Lashio, a big city in Shan state, having resettled in the Kokang capital since last week. Endi