Myanmar rebel commander denies Chinese mercenaries fighting with his forces
The head of ethnic rebel forces in a restive region of northern Myanmar has denied claims by the country’s military that Chinese mercenaries are supporting them, a state-run newspaper has reported.
The head of ethnic rebel forces in a restive region of northern Myanmar has denied claims by the country’s military that Chinese mercenaries are supporting them, a state-run newspaper has reported.
Peng, 85, a veteran of a former China-backed guerilla force that battled the Myanmese government until the group fell apart in 1989, said Kokang had banned Chinese citizens from entering the region bordering China to join his Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.
“There would be no benefit, but harm to us,” Peng said. “Most importantly, we will face enormous pressure once Chinese law enforcement agencies uncover any Chinese nationals taking part in the war here.”
Peng’s comments came after Myanmar’s chief of military affairs security said on Sunday that Kokang rebels were receiving help from mercenaries from China and guerilla armies from the minority areas of Kachin, Mong La, Wa, Palaung and northern Shan.
Violence flared again between government troops and Kokang rebels early this month, leading many people to flee over the border into Yunnan province. There is confusion about the exact number of refugees, but Xinhua previously reported that the number in Lincang alone was as high as 30,000.
Fighting between the military and rebels on Tuesday injured two soldiers, the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.
A friend of Peng Jiasheng in Yunnan told the South China Morning Post that Laukkai, the capital of Kokang, was “largely deserted now” after the rebels retook the city. “There are skirmishes every day but no large-scale conflict,” the friend said.
“Most civilians fled to Yunnan. It is not chaotic … Many have relatives in Yunnan so they get to spend their Lunar New Year with their Yunnan relatives.
Lieutenant General Mya Tun Oo said Kokang rebel forces included former Chinese soldiers who were providing military training, although the Chinese government was “very unlikely to be involved, but some authorities from autonomous regions might be”, he was quoted as saying by The Irrawaddy news website.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China was committed to non-interference in other countries’ affairs.
Additional reporting by Teddy Ng and Reuters
