Myanmar’s government has declared martial law in the eastern region of Kokang, after fighting broke out between the Tatmadaw and an ethnic Kokang militant group called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
At least 47 Myanmar soldiers and 26 MNDAA fighters have been killed since then, according to the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, and thousands have fled across the border into China.
A Red Cross convoy, which was transporting displaced civilians, was attacked by unknown gunmen on Tuesday, leaving two volunteers injured.
"We haven’t had such an attack before," said Red Cross spokeswoman Shwe Cin Myint to Reuters. "This would be the very first."
A government soldier blamed the attack on the MNDAA.
Myanmar has a history of oppressing other ethnic groups and the Tatmadaw, the country's military, is accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. the MNDAA, one of many armed groups opposing the government, is demanding autonomy for the Kokang, who are ethnically Han Chinese and have more in common with people across the border in the Yunnan province than with the Burmese.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Tuesday called for a ceasefire and urged all sides to exercise restraint.
"We want to use this opportunity to once again call on all sides involved in the clashes in Myanmar to exercise restraint and avoid the situation escalating further to ensure peace and stability of the border, and especially to avoid affecting security on the Chinese side," she told reporters.
In a statement released on its website on Monday the Yunnan government said that since Feb. 9 there had been more than 30,000 trips, both into and out of China, implying multiple border crossings by people depending on how the fighting develops.
The US, which has supported reforms in Myanmar and recent efforts by the government and ethnic insurgent armies to come to a peace, said it was "deeply concerned" over the continued fighting and particularly by reports of the shooting of two Red Cross workers.
"We appeal to all sides to exercise restraint and return to dialogue," a State Department spokesperson said. "Fighting will undermine the ongoing national reconciliation process."
Kachin expect military offensive
Meanwhile, Kachin rebels say the government is preparing an offensive against them and denied they are providing military assistance to the MNDAA.
“We know that they have increased the number of troops. With the reason of relocating the troops, the number of troops has increased, as well as the supplies. The supplies, of course, include weapons,” Daung Khar, a spokesperson from Kachin Independence Organisation’s technical advisory board, told the Voice of America.
“On February 11, they attacked the outskirts of Laiza, [the location of the KIO headquarters]. And they also attacked a border road that goes from Laiza to Bahmaw. They did it intentionally," said Khar.
"They want to create the kind of situation where they want to have dialogues, and want to attack on the other hand. But we did not respond it through violence. When I listened to the commander-in-chief’s words, it seems that they want to attack KIO."
“We do not have any armed forces or weapons formed due to the commands given by the central command. And we have not gone to Kokang and provide military support,” he said.
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