A total of 27 armed conflicts and eight handmade mine attacks occurred during September in this year and military tension between army and Arakan Army (AA) may yet see further increase in Chin and Rakhine states, according to township level conflict watch database released by Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security (MIPS) on October 16.
Military tension increased as there were 29 times of armed conflicts and handmade mine attacks in August.
The MIPS said landmine and handmade mine attacks numbered more in August but armed conflicts in August were significantly increased when compared with those in September.
There are ten townships where armed conflicts took place in August. It has now reached 16 townships in September. The conflict zones are becoming wider as new armed conflicts occur in new zones in Shan State.
The database showed there were seven armed conflicts in Kutkai, Shan State (North), five armed conflicts in Phapon, Kayin State, four armed conflicts in Paletwa, Chin State and four armed conflicts in Namtu, Shan State (North).
The rate of encounters between army and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) decreased significantly and only two armed conflicts occurred between them in Shan and Kachin states each.
The armed conflicts that occurred between army and Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) in August ceased in early September, according to the MIPS.
It also said that skirmishes between forces of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and combined forces of Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) happened in Shan State during September but the number of encounters is now on the low. The RCSS lost some of its controlled areas to the TNLA and SSPP.
The army conducted a military operation along Lashio-Muse expressway in September as the TNLA forces demanded extortion money from buses and trucks on the expressway. Number of landmine and handmade mine attacks has increased in Shan State due to competition in extortion of money from locals and armed conflicts between ethnic armed groups, it added.
More encounters between the army and AA occurred in Paletwa, Chin State and military tension may increase in Chin and Rakhine states, it said.
