Thirty Burma Army soldiers killed in clashes with SSPP/SSA

Source Shanherald, 26 Feb

Reliable reports said that during the last weeks of February, thirty Burmese government troops were killed in action in its clashes with the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA).

"Fighting on the 22 February was quite fierce and the Burma Army came to collect its deaths and wounded the following day. The casualty of the government troops was not less than thirty", according to a militia leader, who don't want to be named.

On 24 February, unexploded 60mm ammunition fired by the Burma Army exploded, due to the villagers' routine bushfire in preparation for land cultivation, during the night. The villagers said that the panic-ridden government troops responded by firing their weapons all night long.

"Before the Union Day of 12 February, the Burma Army demanded for the withdrawal of SSA troops from Loi Lang base, which was refused, subsequently leading to the reinforcement of its troops and seven armed clashes along the mountain ranges. Only on 22 February battle alone, the Burma Army had suffered 28 killed", according to an officer from SSA headquarters.

"According to our sources, the Burma Army causalities are 28 deaths and 14 wounded. We are only on defensive position and when young, inexperience Burmese soldiers advanced for they could not disobey orders, they were cut down. We have only a few wounded but must be careful not to be the targets of Burma Army's heavy artilleries, said one SSA frontline commander.

Even though President Thein Sein has recently ordered the government troops to stop the offensive, Light Infantry battalions 322, 315, 577, 574, 525 and Infantry battalions 33, 131, 295, with an estimate of one thousand troops are deployed in Tang Yang and Mong Hsu Townships, resulting in continued military tension.