The junta troops suffered man y casualties in a fierce battle with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) near Kone Thar village in Namhsan township of southern Shan state.

The corpses of 47 Military Council troops were recovered, and 24 were captured alive as prisoners of war by the TNLA.

A person close to TNLA told Shan Herald,” TNLA fighters found dead junta soldiers everywhere, after they conducted a field inspection on December 13 th in the areas where the Military Council’s helicopters did not carry out airstrikes”.

The Military Council used fighter jets and helicopters to launch heavy air strikes, while conducting an offensive against the TNLA base in Namhsan.

“During the battle, the Military Council troops prepared for a ground offensive and took up positions in the Kone Thar monastery compound. They were in the Kone Thar monastery when bombed from the air .The monastery was badly damaged about seven houses in Kone Thar village were destroyed,” he told the Shan Herald.

There are reports that around 30 TNLA members were killed in the battle, but Shan Herald cannot independently confirm that.

When asked about the situation of the battle, TNLA spokesperson Lieutenant colonel Tar Aik Kyaw answered, “Casualties were on both sides. However we do not know the exact number. Homes were also damaged. The worst hit was the village of Kone Thar. Their (the Military Council) troops in Namhsan are shelling thoughtlessly day and night with artillery. They had also attacked with aircraft”.

There are more than 1000 displaced people fleeing to Namhsan due to the fighting, and they are facing difficulties in getting clothes and drinking water.