Myanmar government says 126 soldiers killed in fighting with Kokang rebels

The Myanmar government said that 126 soldiers have been killed and 359 injured so far in fighting with the Kokang ethnic army that has seen tens of thousands of people flee into neighbouring China.

The conflict erupted in the remote region of Shan state on February 9, and Myanmar government air strikes have struck Chinese territory, killing several civilians and prompting a rebuke from Beijing.

The conflict has also overshadowed a wider bid to secure a nationwide ceasefire with a host of other rebel groups as the country edges towards breakthrough elections after decades of junta rule.

State-owned Myawaddy television also reported that Myanmar government soldiers have recovered 74 bodies of ethnic Chinese rebels from the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), arrested 22 MNDAA fighters and confiscated considerable amounts of munitions.

There are no clear figures for the number of civilians killed or wounded in the remote, rugged area. However state media said government forces have cleared numerous explosive mines and barricades on roads in the northeastern Kokang region.

During the latest offensive, government forces seized four more strategic hilltops and villages, the government said.