Kachin Sub-state
Burmese Army Troops Fire at Each Other near Hpakant A battle broke out between two Burmese army battalions as a soldier who is on sentry duty mistakenly shoots another fellow soldier who goes out to the toilet during the night on( Jan, 11 .2014)at 3:30 am.The two battalions involved in the fighting are Burmese army’s 50th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) and 347th Light Infantry Regiment (LIR) currently based in Nam Ya village on Hpakant road. The two sides first engaged in confused fighting with small arms but later both sides fired at each other with mortar and artillery shells, reported a local source.
The source says at least (6) government soldiers were killed including Capt. Tin Myo Khaing and (10) others wounded in this confused fighting between Burmese government troops. The commander of Nam Ya-based Burmese army battalion is Major Aung Ko.
Local villagers are told by Burmese army officers to tell others that the battle took place because of KIA’s attack. Officers from KIA’s 6th Battalion that controlled the area denied launching such an attack against Burmese army troops in Nam Ya area.
A KIA officer said, “it has been months that our troops do not go near Nam Ya. We are instructed by our superior officers not to attack Burmese army troops in this area. And our troops are following order”. Burmese army troops from 50th LIB and 347th LIR are stationed along Kahtan Yang, Nam Ya, Ma-U Pin, Nam Hai, Pya Ohn on Kamaing and Hpakant road. The commander of 50th LIB is Lt. Col. Tun Tun Oo and the commander of 347th LIR is Major Than Tun Oo. 50th LIB and 347th LIR operates under Tactical Operation Command No. 2 led by Col. Than Aye.
