Government troops have clashed with ethnic Kachin rebels more than 20 times since signing an agreement last month to de-escalate fighting, a spokesman for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) said on Sunday. “We cannot build trust just by holding talks. It is necessary to have a firm commitment to resolve this through a political dialogue,” La Nan of the KIA said in an email reply to The Associated Press. He added that “the government used the opportunity of peace talks to prepare for the next assault.” There was no immediate response from the government.—AP
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