Mizzima News

Ruili (Mizzima) – Two months after clashes between the Kokang ceasefire group and the Burmese Army, 12 bombs exploded on October 24 evening in the Kokang capital Laogai, which was captured by junta’s forces.

The explosions occurred near the Chinese architectural style seven-tiered spire roof building and gold shop owned by the new Kokang leader and MNDAA Chairman Pai Song Chein. The entire area is under the control of junta’s forces after it reconstituted the MNDAA with new leaders of its choice.

“The dozen bombs exploded one after the other on October 24 from 8 p.m. to midnight. There is a big building with a seven-tiered spire like roof in Chinese architectural style. The bomb, which exploded near the building was the most powerful,” a trader living in Kokang region told Mizzima.

Aung Kyaw Zaw, military analyst and observer based on the Sino-Burma border confirmed the bomb blasts. But no one has taken responsibility yet for the explosions. There is no information regarding casualty. Local people are tense and anxious, it is learnt.

In the wake of clashes between the MNDAA and the Burmese Army, over four days in late August, about 30,000 refugees were forced to flee to China. Only one third of them have come back home, the trader said.

Former MNDAA Chairman and chief of Kokang forces Peng Kya Shin refused to accept the junta’s proposal of transforming his army into the junta controlled Border Guard Force (BGF).

Following the rejection, the Burmese Army attacked the Kokang Army on the pretext of searching an arms factory and investigating a drug business operating there. Peng Kya Shin fled from the region.

The junta has set up a Regional Military Operation Command based at Laogai and deployed about 10 infantry battalions near the Kokang capital city.