Myanmar’s eight-month-old government faced a fresh crisis on Monday, after four ethnic armed groups attacked security forces in the north of the country, dealing a major blow to leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s goal of reaching peace with ethnic minorities.

Eight people were killed and 29 wounded when a coalition of northern rebels attacked military and police outposts and a business centre near a key trading hub on the Myanmar (formerly Burma) border with China on Sunday, the government said.

China put its army on high alert and said it was providing shelter for some people who fled across the frontier to escape fighting in the towns of Muse and Kutkai, in Myanmar’s north-eastern Shan state. Beijing called on the parties involved to exercise calmness and restraint.

Escalation of fighting

In an important realignment of ethnic armed forces, one of Myanmar’s most powerful militias, the Kachin Independence Army, joined three smaller groups that have been in a stand-off with the Myanmar military since clashes on the border last year.

The fighting last year pitted the army against the predominantly ethnic Chinese Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and its allies, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army.

“The Burma armed forces have been assaulting to destroy all political and military struggles of the ethnic peoples because they have no will to solve Myanmar’s political problem by politically peaceful negotiation methods,” the four groups said in a statement.

Derail progress

The fighting threatened to derail whatever progress has been made by Suu Kyi since she organised a major peace conference with most ethnic armed groups in August.

“We will increase the operations to secure these areas and protect the civilians,” said Ministry of Defence spokesman Maj Gen Aung Ye Win. He did not comment on questions regarding the military’s next steps.

Thousands of people have been displaced by decades of fighting between the military and ethnic armed groups in Shan state, which is home to several large groups operating close to the borders with China and Thailand.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said a stray bullet from the fighting had wounded a Chinese resident and China has lodged a protest.

China was infuriated last year when five Chinese people were killed as the fighting spilled over into Chinese territory.

“The Chinese army is on high alert and will take the necessary measures to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and safety, as well as protect the lives and property of Chinese citizens living along the border,” a defence ministry statement said.

– (Reuters)