Myanmar gov't forces seize four more Kokang strategic hilltops

Myanmar government forces have seized four more strategic hilltops and villages where the Kokang ethnic army based during its combing of two highlands in its latest offensive with heavy weapons, tanks and air strikes, the military-run Myawaddy media reported on Friday.

These areas lie in Hsinkok Tan highland, northeast of Parsinkyaw village, and San Ta Aik Shun highland, east of the Parsinkyaw village.

With the seizure of these hilltops, the government forces claimed total control of key locations of Laukkai, the capital of Kokang region.

Since the eruption of heavy armed clashes between government forces and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army ( MNDAA) on Feb. 9, there have been 253 engagements between them up to now.

During the period, at least 74 MNDAA members were killed and 22 others arrested, with 226 arms and ammunition and 27.761 billion kyats (27 million U.S. dollars) worth of narcotic drugs seized.

The report did not mention the casualties of government forces.

It was reported earlier that 16 government soldiers had been killed and 110 others wounded.

Meanwhile, peace negotiators of the government and ethnic armed groups concluded talks over a draft nationwide cease-fire agreement on March 30 and the draft accord was preliminarily signed in Yangon on March 31. The document will be signed formally after the approval of the top leadership of all sides concerned.

The ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Cease-fire Coordination Team (NCCT) insisted that the MNDAA is a member of the NCCT and exclusion of it in the signing of the nationwide cease-fire agreement could not bring peace.

Early this week, the United Nationalities Federal Council, established by the ethnic groups, demanded Myanmar President U Thein Sein to stop military offensive against the Kokang ethnic army, which is member of both the council and the NCCT. Endi