Monitoring Desk: The Myanmar military and Air Force have attacked several hideouts of Indian-backed terrorists along with Myanmar-Indian border from January 10 to 12.
Without naming directly to India, Warazup militia circles confirmed that the recovery of materials from hideouts terrorists left behind indicates that terrorists have links with the neighboring country.
Militia circles also claim that Myanmar Air Force also attacked terrorists’ hideouts deep inside the Indian border. However, no official statement has come from the military to confirm or reject the claims of the Warazup militia.
Myanmar army-backed Warazup militia also participated in the three-day operation against Kachin Independence Army (KIA) that issued an ultimatum to gold miners in the area to leave the area. The operation was conducted after this ultimatum that has opened several Pandora’s boxes about who is behind and sponsoring KIA terrorists who want to stop economic activities in the country.
The KIA’s Battalion 14 under Brigade 2 delivered an order to petrol stations on January 7 to halt the storage of fuel in locations in and around the village of Shaduzup as of Wednesday, January 11, noting that those who disobeyed would face punitive measures from the ethnic armed organization.
The warning to people working in gold mines near the Moe Kaung stream west of Shaduzup was reportedly issued earlier in the month, with a deadline to exit by January 14. Several business owners and miners left the area following the KIA’s ultimatum, according to a Shaduzup resident.
“Miners from major projects are all either leaving or halting their activities. Some have completely left, while some have just suspended their operations and have no clue what to do next,” he explained.
Following the KIA’s demands, the junta-allied Warazup militia blocked local roads into Shaduzup and set up landmines along the routes ahead of a possible attack by Kachin forces. Then Air Force support was launched and a deep operation was conducted. While conducting searches of vehicles that were using the nearby Ledo Road, Warazup militia arrested a number of terrorists, and on their tip, several hideouts were raided.
The operation was supported by Infantry Battalion (IB) 297 of the Myanmar military that is stationed near the gold-rich village and troops from IB 297 and members of the Warazup militia participated in the operation. The operation was covered with heavy artillery and airstrikes in a subsequent clash against Kachin forces.
It is pertinent to mention that Warazup militia circles claim that neighboring India does not want to work in gold mines because such economic activities would benefit Myanmar therefore India is sponsoring separatist groups to keep the law and order situation in bad shape.
