One civilian was killed on Tuesday and hundreds more were displaced in northern Shan State’s Kyaukme district as fighting broke out between the Shan State Army-South, a nationwide ceasefire agreement signatory group, and the non-signatory Ta’ang National Liberation Army.

The group also reportedly called for the Tatmadaw to release two villagers who were detained during a raid on a SSA-S facility in the village of Panpwe.

The Shan State Army-South accuses the Burmese army of arbitrarily detaining civilians during clashes in central Shan State’s Mong Kung Township.

According to the SSA-S, the Burmese army provoked a firefight when it raided what the Shan militia claims was a drug rehabilitation camp in Tonlaung.

Groups say RCSS/SSA maintains a campaign of closing schools, detaining civilians and monks, recruiting soldiers, and looting households in Ta’ang areas.

Kyaukme has been for many years a peaceful town, its ethnic Shan and Ta’ang residents co-existing in relative harmony. But armed conflict is threatening to tear the communities apart.