21 truckloads of men, supplies and ammo were dispatched to the site of the one and half hour long fight between the Burma Army and the Shan State Army (SSA) South which took place last night, according to local and rebel sources.

The fight that lasted 21:00-22:30 was between an SSA patrol and the Burma Army unit providing security for tractors expanding and repairing a road between Gawng Teevee in the west and Monghta in the east, some 44 km north of Chiangmai’s Wiang Haeng district border. No casualties were reported.

The shootout last night followed shelling by an unidentified armed group on the Burma Army outpost in Monghta on Friday.

Both the Wa and the SSA are active in the area.

Naypyitaw has designated Monghta, as well as Kali, Kholam and Mongzang west of the Salween, as new sub-townships. The latter three sub-townships will be directly administered by the newest command named the Middle East Region Command.

Update 16:00

A rebel source said the shootout with Monghta-based Light Infantry Battalion 328 took place at 21:40 and lasted until 23:00. The Shan patrol saw 3 dead and 1 wounded, but believed there were more casualties on the Burmese side.