By Independent Mon News Agency – One Burmese government soldier was shot by a member of the Border Guard Force (BGF) last night, in Three Pagodas Pass (TPP), during an argument between government troops and BGF troops say sources close to the Burmese authorities.
A source close to the Burmese authorities in TPP explained that the soldier was shot at 8:30 pm while a group of BGF soldiers drove to a restaurant at Taung Win, Quarter 4 in TPP.
Troops from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No.284, who were sitting in a restaurant threatened members of the BGF that they would seize the BGF’s car.
“They had an argument at that time, and members of the BGF opened fire first, and shot one solider,” said a source close to the Burmese authorities.
The solider was shot in the head and then sent to a Thai hospital in Kanchaburi town, Kanchanaburi province last night.
LIB No. 284 is under control of the Regional Southeast Command based in Moulmein.
Today, Burmese authorities and leaders of the BGF held a meeting at noon in TPP, discussing how to solve last night’s conflict.
Currently, there are around 60 BGF members in TPP. These troops were former members of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and Karen Peace Force.
Meanwhile, Thai authorities based on the Thai-Burmese border at TPP, have negotiated with the Karen armed groups and Burmese troops in order to stop the conflict ongoing in in the TPP area.
Now, there are around 300 troops who have joined together between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the DKBA for the purpose of attacking government troops based in Mae Khasa village.
This joint armed Karen group has requested the withdrawal of government troops at the military base in Mae Khasa in order to create a stable situation in TPP.
Three Pagodas Pass was recently under attack on June 5th, when the Military Intelligence Office was bombed, killing one military intelligence officer, a young girl and wounding four people.
