Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) spokesman Maj. Ta Aik Kyaw has confirmed that three members of the northern alliance, TNLA, AA (Arakan Army) and MNDAA (Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army), jointly attacked five targets including Defence Services Technology Academy (DSTA) in Pyinoolwin and other targets in Nawnghkio.
“We attacked two targets in Pyinoolwin, one is near the toll tax gate, one near DSTA and a place known to people as Lawpan in Nawngkio, near Gokehteik and near the entry of Nawngkio, totalling five targets,” he said.
TNLA said that they had to strike these targets in self-defence as the Tatmadaw (government military) launched massive assaults in their controlled areas.
These strikes took place in the early morning today (August 15).
Tatmadaw True News Information Team Secretary Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said, “DSTA in Pyinoolwin was attacked with heavy weapons this morning at about 5:30. The shells exploded in the campus of the academy killing a civilian staff member and one army personnel was injured. The enemy simultaneously attacked abandoned toll tax gate run by Asia World near the exit of Pyinoolwin where the police force had an inspection gate for anti-narcotic works equipped with an X-ray machine. There are no casualties in this attack. And also they fired heavy weapons at battalion headquarters in Nawngkio from afar but there are no casualties there. Moreover, the enemy attacked cargo inspection camp situated between Nawngkio and Pyinoolwin in which a policeman was reportedly wounded. And also the enemy attacked anti-narcotic inspection camp between Nawngkio and Pyinoolwin this morning at about 7:30 and the fighting is still continuing there. We heard the enemy put some buildings there on fire.”
“Currently the situation is under control and security has been tightened. Tatmadaw columns are now conducting their area clearance operations near and around Nawngkio. We exposed and could arrest and seize narcotic smugglers with tons of these narcotic substances recently. So we assume that these attacks are related to these huge seizures of narcotic drugs,” Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun added.
Defence Services Technology Academy, front gate. Photo: Wikipedia
