13 February 2015, 10:00 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — At least 47 Myanmar soldiers were killed and 74 wounded during a week-long fighting with rebels in the north of the country close to the Chinese border, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported Friday.
The fighting in the Shan State started on February 9, when a group of ethnic Kokang rebels attacked several military bases. The Myanmar army responded with a number of airstrikes.
Along with human casualties the Myanmar army lost five vehicles, according to the newspaper. The rebel casualties were not reported.
In the recent years, the Myanmar government has been trying to reach a peace agreement with the Han Chinese ethnic group, which has been struggling to obtain greater autonomy for the Shan and Kachin states, inhabited mostly by ethnic Kokang people.
The latest string of violence follows the return of Phone Kya Shin, a rebel leader, who was forced to leave the country in 2009. Upon his return, he promised to restore the rights of the Kokang people.
Thousands of civilians have fled their homes due to the conflict, most of them are currently settled in Chinese refugee camps.
