Three abducted Myanmar police officers freed by armed group

YANGON- The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on Monday freed three abducted Myanmar police officers and handed over them to the peace mediator to be transferred to the government side, according to a member of the mediator.

U Lamai Gum Ja, member of the Peace Talks Creation Group (PCG), told Xinhua over phone that the three freed police officers are on the way to Phakant, the battlefield of the two sides, to be transferred to the government side.

According to the Kachin media website, some sporadic armed clashes between the Myanmar government troops and the KIA continued on Monday but the battle was not as intensified as previous days.

About 2,000 people, including some Chinese citizens, were trapped in the jade mining area, the sources said.

However, the Chinese Embassy has not confirmed the number yet.

According to official media, the KIA launched grenade and mine attacks targeting government outposts over the past two days with Phakant police station destroyed.

The KIA also burned and destroyed some five bridges on Moguang- Phakant road, disrupting the traffic on the road.

The government has charged the KIA with undermining peace and tranquility of the region, saying that local people are fearing escalation of the clashes.

The clashes between the two sides broke out last Thursday following the ambush by KIA on a convoy of Kachin state transport minister U Kamann Du Naw on Wednesday on a highway in the area.

Although the minister was freed and allowed to proceed after being questioned, three police officers, who escorted the minister, were abducted.