Rebels seize post near Myanmar-China border, kill 7 government troops

2015-03-18

Children from the Kokang fighting gather at a refugee camp on the border between China and Myanmar, March 2, 2015. (Photo courtesy of a Kokang volunteer)

Kokang rebels fighting against Myanmar's army captured a government position near the country's border with China on Wednesday, killing seven Myanmar soldiers while losing two rebel fighters, local sources told RFA's Mandarin Service.

Government forces shifted to using ground forces and artillery to attack the rebels after an incident last week in which Myanmar's air force mistakenly dropped bombs on Chinese territory, killing four sugar cane farmers and drawing a stern warning from China.

"Gun battles continued from last night until dawn as the Myanmar military launched an artillery bombardment against rebels. Even though we don't know where the government force is targeting, but we can hear explosions from heavy artillery fires," said a Kokang border area resident who gave only his surname, Yuan.

"There are no more Myanmar military air planes in the sky, however. They might fear Chinese fighter jets," he told RFA, referring to sorties China's military has been staging in response to the cross-border attack on March 14.

Thefts mount

Nearly 40 days of armed clashes since the conflict erupted Feb. 9 have made life difficult for ordinary civilians in Kokang, forcing many members of the ethnic Chinese minority to flee their self-ruled district in northeastern Myanmar's Shan State and cross into China.

The highest estimate put the number of refugees streaming into China at 100,000, although many appear to have returned to Myanmar when fighting quieted down. China has on occasion closed sections of the border and now requires valid ID before allowing refugees to enter Chinese territory.

"Many thefts happened and many people steal. No one is responsible for law and order, and this place is now a mess," Yuan said of the situation in his border village.

Rice and other cooking supplies are in short supply in the numerous small makeshift refugee camps that have sprung up since the conflict, volunteers said.

"Now we urgently need rice and cooking oil," said a man surnamed Ke, a pastor who has been involved in helping fellow Christians in Myanmar.

Volunteers meet rebel aide

Ke said volunteers were holding consultations on Wednesday Chen Shanshao, a senior aide to rebel leader Peng Jiasheng, to discuss how to help the refugees.

Ethnic Chinese Peng heads the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), which is trying to retake the Kokang self-administered zone that it had controlled until 2009.

"We discussed setting up a temporary school, and we need their help," Mr. Ke said of the MNDAA.

"We have purchased 800 small stools and want the children to use them to study," he added.

Myanmar military's newspaper Myawaddy Daily said on Wednesday that fighting in the Laukkai area escalated the previous day, with the government forces using heavy artillery to attack the strongholds of Kokang rebels. Four government soldiers were wounded and three rebel corpses have been found, the report said.

Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated by Ping Chen. Written in English by Paul Eckert.

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