Global Security Newswire

Myanmar on Thursday said chemical warfare materials were not being employed in its battle against opposition fighters in the country's north, Agence France-Presse reported.

“Our military never uses chemical weapons and we have no intention to use them at all. I think the KIA (Kachin Independence Army) is accusing us wrongly,” said presidential spokesman Ye Htut.

A KIA spokesman on Wednesday claimed chemical weapons were being used in stepped-up military activities over the last few days in Kachin state.

“It is already three days (they have) used chemical weapons (and) they are able to occupy very important posts,” James Lum Dau said to AFP. He said detonating munitions caused bursts of high temperatures and that fighters "lost consciousness." "Around that area everybody suffers."

The rebel statement could not be independently confirmed; it followed corresponding claims near the end of 2011.

Myanmar is not believed to have a chemical weapons program, according to expert analyses. The nation has signed but not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of materials such as nerve and blister agents.