Military Operation Planning Bureau Expands to Indo-Burma Border

http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2071

2/13/2009


Pelatwa: A new Military Operation Planning Bureau has been opened near the Indo-Burma border and will oversee several army battalions being based in Arakan State, said a source close to the army.
The Military Operation Planning Bureau will be called Sabaka 1 in Burmese and it has been set up at Tha Raw Ai Village on the upper Kaladan River in Paletwa Township of southern Chin State.

According to the army source, three battalions - Sittwe-based LB 20, Rathidaung-based LIB 538, and Buthidaung-based 263 - are now arriving in the area to establish the bureau.



Major Thin Lin is now sector commander at the bureau and is staying at Tha Raw Ai Village. There are no details regarding why the new Military Operation Planning Bureau is being stationed on the frontlines of the western Burmese border, but Burmese military authorities have been reinforcing troops along the western border recently.

Previously, there were four battalions deployed along the western border, but that number has been increased to seven. The original four battalions based in the area are LIB 289 based in Paletwa, LB 55 based in Thandwe, LIB 344 based in Sittwe, and LIB 234 based in Buthidaung.

It was learned that the new bureau is controlled by the western command commander based in Ann Town.