Clashes between armed groups, gov't forces continue in N. Myanmar for 5th day

Clashes continued in Myanmar's northern Shan state Thursday, the fifth day since armed conflicts broke out between Myanmar government forces and a combined forces of three non-ceasefire signatory ethnic armed groups last Sunday, according to the release of the Information Committee of the State Counselor's Office Friday.

The combined forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) attacked an army outpost near the 105th Mile Border Trade Zone in Muse again with artillery and firearms on Thursday morning at about 06:30 a.m. local time.

One of the three armed groups also launched artillery shell into Kutkai on the day at about 11:45 a.m. local time, dropping and exploded at the site of cemetery and near the Oriental Toll Gate with no casualties reported.

The government retaliated by crossfiring artillery shells.

On the same day, the government troops cleared the highway near Kaungkha village in Muse that had been blocked by armed groups with motor vehicles placed on the road crosswise, prompting the traffic to flow again.

Another highway near the Mawtaung and Namp On villages, 24 km from Muse, which was blocked by vehicles parking crosswise by KIA, was also cleared by government troops.

Moreover, TNLA armed group fired on a truck enroute from Muse to Kutkai near Mile Post-233 on Thursday at about 11:50 a.m. , killing one person on board the vehicle.

Military conflicts broke out in border area of northern Myanmar's Shan state early Sunday morning with an alliance of the three ethnic armed groups launching simultaneous and surprise attacks on government's military outposts and police stations in Muse and Kutkai townships as well as a border trade center.

The government claimed that a total of eight people including one soldier, three policemen, one people's militia and three civilians had so far lost their lives and 29 others injured including nine policemen, two customs officers and 18 civilians.

The attacks targeted government military outposts and police stations in areas of Muse, Kutkai, Monekoe, Kyukoke, Phangsai, Pangsang, Manken and Kyinsankyawk (Honang).

Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity of chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, on Wednesday urged the armed groups to join the government's peace process by signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) to immediately end the conflicts. Endit