Fighting between the Burma Army and Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) broke out this Wednesday near the Shan armed group's jungle camp in Hsipaw, located in northern Shan State.
RCSS/SSA spokesperson Lt-Col Sao Oum Khur told NMG the battle happened because a Tatmadaw column from Tangyang-base LIB-326 came too close to its camp. “They didn't take the main vehicle road. They took the jungle road and came near our camp, and it’s why we clashed with them.”
The Burma Army was told not to take the jungle route, he says. “They (Burma army) told us they want to go from Pankok and Pankhur village... We let them know our troops were in the jungle and told them not to go there.”
He says the fighting, which started at about 5 p.m., lasted only an hour and didn’t know if there were any casualties.
NMG called Tatmadaw's True News Information Team for comment, but no-one responded.
At the time of the press, there was no information about the clash on the website of the Burma Army's Commander-in-Chief.
Farmers, who are preparing their land for planting before the rainy season starts, are concerned the fighting will prevent them from working. “Now it's the planting season and we're worried that we won't be able to work on our farms because clashes will start again,” says a farmer from Namlan village in Hsipaw Township.
Sao Oum Khur says the RCSS/SSA fought with the Burma Army on June 3 near Ner Kawng Muu village, located in Monghsat district, in eastern Shan State. “They launched artillery attacks on our troops. We tried to avoid the clash and moved our camp.”
He says RCSS/SSA leaders are discussing the recent incidents with Tatmadaw officials through its liaison offices. RCSS/SSA leaders also discussed the fighting during a recent Joint Monitoring Committee meeting.
Fighting also broke out between Tatmadaw and Karen National Union (KNU) in Mudraw District, in Karen State.
Both KNU and RCSS/SSA are signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
The other NCA signatories are Chin National Front, All Burma Students' Democratic Front, Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council, Pa-O National Liberation Organization, Arakan Liberation Party, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, New Mon State Party and Lahu Democratic Union.
