The government battalion based in Mongpan Township clashed with the RCSS/SSA forces in the area of Wamt-Hat 10 miles away from Mongpan Township. One government soldier was killed and another was injured according to a government army source.

“In the last four or five days the government forces fired their guns in the air and threatened villagers for no reason. They accused villagers of supporting the Shan forces but not supporting the government forces who they would not even give a chicken to. They accused the villagers of being rebels and threatened to set the village on fire if the villagers did not answer their questions. When villagers told them that Shan rebels do not live in the village, but instead live outside the village they fired their guns so everyone could hear the gunfire,” said a villager who withheld his name.

S.H.A.N. were unable to get any further information about the incident from the RCSS/SSA because when they phoned their office in Mongpan and Major Lao Sang the RCSS/SSA spokesperson based at their Loi Tai Leng headquarters nobody answered the phones.

After the fighting the government army reinforced their forces in the area, which has made local residents fearful that the fighting there will escalate.

There was also fighting on 13th December when a company from Brigade No. 77 of the government army clashed with RCSS/SSA troops in Kyaukme Township in Northern Shan State. According to villagers both sides suffered casualties.

The government and the RCSS/SSA have already signed a union level peace agreement.

In the past week there has been fierce fighting between government forces and the ethnic nationality forces of the Federal Union Army (FUA) at in Namhsam, Kyaukme, Namtu, and Kutkai townships in Northern Shan State.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI