Clashes between Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’ and Burma Army troops were reported yesterday twice in the area of Shan State South’s Monghsu township, according to local sources.

The first attack took place at around 18:30 (local time) yesterday and the second one around 08:00 this morning, lasting about half an hour each. Both attacks took place in Mong Awd village tract, Monghsu, where the SSA troops are active. But no details of the attacks have been known so far.

The SSA side had about 60 men and while the Burma Army had 200, who were dispatched from proper Burma to Monghsu. They came in over 20 military trucks which were also carrying military supplies.

According to local villagers, it was the SSA that opened fire first. “The SSA knew that the junta authorities were sending more troops to its areas,” said a source.

During these days, the military junta is reported to have been busy  deploying more troops to areas along the Salween, where the Shan State Army (SSA) is active in the west and the United Wa State Army is in the east, according to local sources.

The total number of troops sent yesterday to the two groups’ controlled territories was about 10 battalions, estimated around 1,000 soldiers, according to an officer from the SSA’s First Brigade.

They were dispatched from different parts. Some were deployed from Shan State North’s Lashio to Tangyan and Mongyai townships, northern part of SSA’s First Brigade Headquarters Wanhai, while others were sent from Shan State South’s Mongnawng sub-township to Monghsu township, east of Wanhai.

“The deployment coming from Mongnawng to Monghsu was about 200 soldiers. They came in about 40 military trucks also carrying military supplies. They arrived at around 3 or 4 pm,” said an eye witness from Monghsu.

Likewise, a source from Nampawng village located between Lashio and Tangyan said, “They [the military trucks] did not come together, only 10 to 15 trucks per convoy.  All were filled with soldiers.”

The SSA said the Burma Army is planning to make another ‘Four Cuts campaign: cutting food, funds, information and recruits and an additional: communication routes.

The relationship between SSA and the Burma Army turned sour since the SSA refused to accept Naypyitaw’s militia force program in 2009.

The SSA First Brigade, now officially known as Shan State Progress Party/ Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), is also allied with the United Wa State Army, the National Democratic Alliance Army and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) confirmed that the SSPP/SSA had decided to “wait and see instead of joining it.” The alliance, which was formed last month, has 11 member organizations.