Myanmar armed forces clear road section of new Asia Highway

Myanmar armed forces have cleared the area of a road section of the new Asia Highway in southeastern Kayin state, the military-run Myawaddy media reported Friday.

A small ethnic armed group had forcefully collected money on the road section from local people, ignoring warnings from the regional authorities to leave the road.

By Thursday since the fighting erupted between the government forces and the armed group, led by Kyaw Thet and Saw San Aung, a week ago, the government forces have cleared the Myawaddy- Kawkareik section of the new Asia Highway which is scheduled to commission this month.

The armed group started to fire on the government forces who were clearing the area on July 2, the report said.

During the fighting, shells from the armed group's heavy weapon fell on a basic education high school, while two buildings in a rubber plantation owned by the government were set on fire on July 7.

On July 8, the armed group continued to fire heavy weapon shots into downtown Kawkareik, the report added.

The Myawaddy-Kawkareik New Asia Highway was built with the aim of facilitating the flow of commodity in border areas, promotion of links between regional countries and boosting tourism. Enditem