Yet another clash between Burmese Army soldiers and fighters of the First Brigade of Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’, which ignored Naypyitaw’s order to disarm, broke out yesterday afternoon in Shan State North’s Mongyai township, both local and SSA ‘North’ sources said.

“It was an ambush staged by the Burmese Army when our men returned from the corn fields,” said a senior SSA officer from Brigade No.1.

The clash took place at 13:40, in Kawng Ai village, Namhsom village tract of Mongyai Township, between a group of SSA’s First Brigade led by Lieutenant Sujinda and a patrol from Hotong outpost under the command of Infantry Battalion (IB) #67 based in Mongyai Township.

The attack lasted about 10 minutes and reportedly killed one soldier on the Burmese Army side but there were no casualties on the SSA side, according to the officer who requested anonymity. “They shot first and missed,” he said. “We returned the fire later and did not miss.”

One MA automatic rifle and seven cartridges were seized by the SSA. But the First Brigade commander Maj-Gen Pangfa was reported to have ordered his men to return the booty to the Burmese Army today, according to another source.

Both sides have already fought twice this month. The first clash took place on 14 September, at 17:40 (local time), by a patrol of SSA ‘North’s First Brigade led by Lieutenant Hseng Harn and a Burmese Army patrol from Infantry Battalion (IB) #147, based in Shan State North’s Khaihsim (its main base is in Nawngkaw in Namtu Township) near Nam Phak Tope village, Tonkeng village tract, Hsipaw township, between Hsipaw and Lashio, Shan State North capital. One fighter was injured on the SSA side. Local villagers say three died on the Burmese Army side.

Two days after the attack, the Burmese Army reportedly sent villagers to apologize to the SSA for their shooting saying it was a mistake.

Both clashes were started by the Burmese Army, another senior SSA officer said. “It is obvious that they are provoking us. They knew well that the SSA has farms located in the areas,” he said. “It could not be a mistake, it is surely premeditated.”

The SSA has been conducting intensive check on everyone who enters its controlled areas and has also deployed more fighters to safeguard motor roads around its main base Wanhai such as Tangyan-Monghsu and Lashio-Monghsu motor roads.

The First Brigade was told by the Burmese Army not to cross north of the Mongyai-Tangyan motor road after it refused to accept Napyitaw’s Border Guard Force programme in April. Mongyai is located in the north of the First Brigade main bases, Tangyan in the northeast, Monghsu in the southeast and Kehsi in the South.