BURMA: War Kachin State KIA ABSDF NORTH January 2013 – videos

CREDIT KACHINLAND NEWS  2.JANUARY 2013

New Year Day brings no pause in the fierce fighting in Kachinland as Burmese government’s army escalated both ground and air offensives. Burmese army on New Year day launched one of the most ferocious assaults on KIO positions in 18 months after the renewed fighting began on June 9, 2011. The intensity of the airstrikes with the threat of a ground invasion of Kachin administrative capital Laiza further complicated relation between Burmese government and Kachin Independence Organization.

Both the rocket fire from fighter jets and helicopters and the buildup of advanced weaponry in areas close to Laiza have increasingly tested Burma’s quasi-civilian government’s credential among Kachin public and other ethnic nationalities.

A fierce fighting took place between KIA’s Padang Sector troops and Burmese army’s Mogaung-based 74^th LIB near border post no. 6 on January 1 at 10 am. KIA source says Burmese army later reinforced its troops with infantry units from 13^th LIB, 77^th LIB and 301^st LIR under 88^th LID during the fighting with KIA’s Padang Sector troops. At about 10:30 am, 5 government’s fighter jets fired rockets and machine guns on KIA’s Padang Sector troops.

KIA’s capital security forces fought against Burmese army’s 317^th LIR, 415^th LIR, 416^th LIR under Magway-based 88^th LID near Laiza on Jan 1. During the ground battles, 2 Burmese army’s fighter jets fired rockets and dropped bombs on KIA’s positions at Bum-re hill, Laja-yang and Hka-ya villages at 9:30 am.

Two helicopters again fired rockets and dropped bombs on KIA’s positions near Laiza at 1:45 pm, reported KIA frontline source. KIA troops say they captured a number of guns, bullets and artillery shells from government troops in a battle at Bum-re hill.