Myanmar's Kachin ethnic group launches rocket attack on govt forces

YANGON - The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) of Myanmar has launched rocket attack on the government forces in northern Shan state leaving one civilian death and two others injured, the military-run Myawaddy media reported Wednesday.

The KIA's rocket attack was conducted when the government military columns were patrolling near Kaungkha village in Kyukok township Monday.

The attack involved the using of remote control landmines and heavy weapons, the report said.

Counter-attack by the military killed one KIA member, seizing some electric circuits in using remote control landmines, the report added.

The fighting took place amid planning of an informal meeting between negotiators of Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups in Chaingmai, Thailand to further negotiate on formal signing of a draft nationwide ceasefire accord (NCA).

The draft NCA was preliminarily signed between the government's Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) and the ethnic groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) at the end of March after conclusion of more than one year's negotiation on the NCA.