Chit Min Tun — Tatmadaw (government troops) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) troops reportedly had an engagement near Man Wah village, Namtu Township, northern Shan State on November 28 in the morning.
RCSS/SSA spokesman Lt. Col. Sai Oo told Mizzima that they had an engagement with the Tatmadaw as both armies had military columns moving in that area without informing each other. The clash lasted about half an hour, he said.
“Yes, we had engagement with them, Tatmadaw. It lasted about 25 minutes in Man Wah village area. The main reason for having engagement is a misunderstanding between us as military columns are moving there without informing each other,” the RCSS spokesman said.
Lower House MP Nan Kham Aye from Namtu constituency told Mizzima that there was no clash between Tatmadaw and RCSS today and the situation was calm and quiet.
“They had fighting yesterday. Tatmadaw and RCSS fought yesterday but today the situation is quiet and no fighting between them today. I don’t know yet if there are any war refugees in this area as I am now in Naypyitaw attending a parliamentary session. I got this news of fighting between them on November 28 at about 8:45 a.m.,” the Namtu MP said.
In-charge of the Committee of Giving Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Namtu Township, Sai Ba Nyan, told Mizzima that Tatmadaw and Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) clashed November 28 and November 29 for two consecutive days near Man Wah village, Namtu Township and an artillery shell fell and exploded on a house of Mauk Swe, killing her and injuring her sister and another.
About 60 villagers of Man Wah village had to flee to Pobber Yone monastery in Namtu town, Committee Assisting IDPs in Namtu Township In-charge Sai Ba Nyan added.
Some northern Shan State based reporters and local residents claimed that Tatmadaw and RCSS had fighting at place near Man Wah village on November 29 in the morning but Lt. Col. Sai Oo from RCSS denied this news.
“We didn’t have fighting today but, yes, we had fighting with Tatmadaw yesterday. Our troops don’t have any military movement in Man Wah area today. We have not yet heard any news on a artillery shell felling and explosion in the village. The troops from other organizations have movements in that area too,” he said to Mizzima.
Mizzima contacted officials from Tatmadaw True News Information Committee to confirm this news but there was no response.
The military columns of Tatmadaw, RCSS, TNLA, Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) have military movements in that area.
TNLA and SSPP have not yet signed a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the government. The RCSS signed an NCA on October 15, 2015.
