Burmese Army Seized KIO’s Se Zin County Administrative Office

By KLN
Friday, February 28, 2014

Burmese army’s 6th Light Infantry Regiment (LIR) under Pyay-based 66th Light Infantry Division (LID) on Wednesday attacked KIO’s Se Zin County administrative office at 3:15 am. About 20 government soldiers led by Captain Yar Zar Tun of 6th LIR later seized KIO’s County office after a brief firefight with KIO officers. Government troops killed Nhtem Tang Gun, a Kachin people militia soldier, and wounded one civilian during the firefight, said a KIA officer who declined to be named. The officer said Se Zin County’s administrator Nhkum Brang Seng and three other officers narrowly escaped from the surprise attack by Burmese army’s 6th LIR troops.

While Burmese government’s delegation led by Minister U Aung Min and Ethnic Armed Organizations’ National Ceasefire Coordination Tem (NCCT) are preparing their next round of peace talks, at least three KIA frontline posts and a County office have been seized by Burmese army since January 31.

KIA’s Hpung Maw post and Hka-U post, located in KIA’s 5th Brigade area in south eastern Kachin State, had been seized by a combined force of Burmese army’s 261st LIB and 423rd LIR on Feb 12. Burmese army’s 121st LIB troops attacked and occupied KIA 1st Battalion’s Dagaw Mada post, located near Hka Wan Bang village in Momauk Township, on January 31.

In northern Shan State, a battle took place between Ta-an National Liberation Army (TNLA)’s 367th Battalion and Burmese army troops from 77th LID near Shubain (Yebon) village in Momeik Township on February 26 at 12:45 pm, said a TNLA source. The same source said at least 10 government soldiers were killed and many others wounded in this battle.