Burma
The Myanmar junta has accused local ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) of firing on a convoy carrying Chinese military representatives in Kachin State, denying media reports that the attack was carried out by a junta-controlled militia group and that it targeted a visiting consul.
7Stars News, a media outlet based in northern Shan State, earlier reported that a local militia group led by Shwe Min fired on the convoy on Tuesday morning as the delegation, led by a Chinese consul, was heading to Myitkyina to attend a meeting on the implementation of part of the Namjin Industrial Zone, which is under development in the Kachin State capital. Shwe Min is the chair of the Lisu National Development Party.
The Chinese consul’s delegation canceled the meeting after the attack, 7Stars News said.
However, junta spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun said the delegation did not include a consul and was not visiting the economic zone project in Namjin.
“It was just a delegation of representatives from China’s armed forces, and they came to attend our regular bilateral meeting on military affairs and border security,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
He said Myanmar military and Border Guard Force personnel provided security for the convoy, which was fired upon five times with a light firearm while heading toward Myitkyina, at a location 13 km from Kanpaiti.
Zaw Min Tun said no injuries or casualties were reported as a result of the incident, adding that the military had verified that the attack was committed by the KIA. The military would take further security actions as a result of the attack, he said.
Residents of Kanpaiti confirmed that a convoy carrying a Chinese delegation was attacked at around 10 a.m. on June 27, and that the convoy was guarded by junta military and police vehicles.
The residents said that on June 26-28, clashes broke out on the stretch of road between Kanpaiti and Sadone town, adding that forces of the junta military and Shwe Min’s militia were deployed in that area and headed toward KIA outposts.
The clashes between the KIA and the junta and militia forces followed a junta air strike on a KIA camp near Kanpaiti on June 26.
KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw was not available for comment.