Frontline humanitarian organization, the Free Burma Ranger report that the Burma Airforce continues to bombard Kachin Independent Army positions using jet fighters. The Free Burma Rangers said in a statement released this week that the Burma military has focused its attacks around Nam Lim Pa village.
“On the 18th and 19th of May alone clashes continued for many hours and on the 20th Burma Airforce jets attacked KIA positions on multiple occasions.”
Free Burma Rangers confirmed that Burma Airforce used K8 Karakorum attack aircraft in its offensives against the KIA.
The website http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/hongdu-k8, estimates that that the Burma government had ordered 62 of the K-8 Karakorum “jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured jointly by Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation (HAIC) of China and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).”
The website describe the planes weapons capability as, “the K-8 is armed with a 23mm cannon pod. The aircraft has five hardpoints of which four are located under wing and one beneath the centreline fuselage section. It can carry 1,000kg of payload. The aircraft is equipped with PL-5 and PL-7 air-to-air missiles (AAM), unguided bomb, BL755 cluster bombs weighing 200-250kg, 57mm unguided rocket pods and two fuel drop-tanks.”
FBR confirmed that in one of the Burma military attacks shrapnel one of its cameramen was wounded.
“Our cameraman, despite his injuries, was able to photograph these attacks.”
Mortar and machine gun fire between Burma Army and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops was exchanged over several hours at the head of Nam Lim Pa Village, Mansi Township in the KIA’s 3rd Brigade district.
Free Myanmar Rangers said that the “Burma Air Force K-8 fired rockets at KIA positions around Nam Lim Pa on 20 May.”
