Myanmar says dozens of rebels killed in clashes near China border
Myanmar's authorities say at least two dozen rebels have been killed in a major military offensive aimed at flushing ethnic Kokang rebels from strategic hilltops in the country's restive northeastern part bordering China.
Myanmar's Defense Ministry said in a statement late on Friday that the government troops took control of major rebel outposts Thursday and Friday.
The soldiers also used artillery attacks and airstrikes during the offensive, which resulted in the death of 24 rebels, the statement added.
Reacting to the latest incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's "strong dissatisfaction" and urged the Myanmar government to restore stability to the region "as soon as possible."
The self-administered Chinese-speaking Kokang region, in the northern part of Shan state, has been in a state of emergency since fighting erupted in the region in February between government forces and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the main militant group in Kokang.
The conflict in Myanmar has displaced tens of thousands of people along the border on Myanmar’s side. At least 30,000 civilians have also fled the country across the border into southwestern China.
Myanmar has been wracked by unrest since independence from Britain in 1948 as insurgencies flared among minority groups demanding greater autonomy.
JR/AS/MHB
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