A local villager in central Shan state’s Monghsu Township was reported dead as the Burmese Army launched attack on the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) in the area on Wednesday, according to the ethnic armed group.
The SSA-N claimed a battalion under the government army’s 9th Military Operations Command, based in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township, that was recently deployed in Monghsu shelled the group’s outpost in Loi Nai around 1pm on 26 October.
“We have an outpost in an area called Loi Nai between Monghsu and Mongawt. That outpost used to be close to a road between the towns but we relocated it about two miles back after former President Thein Sein ordered both us and the Burmese Army to back away from each another on opposite sides of the road. But the Burmese Army returned to their original position shortly after and now they are telling us to move back even further,” said Sai Hsu.
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“When we refused to comply, they began shelling our position today. If they continue harassing like this, we might end up clashing again.”
He added that a man from the village-tract of Hkosom on the outskirts of Monghsu was shot dead on the same day as he was travelling on a motorbike, but no further details about the incident were available.
The Burmese Army and SSA-N also clashed in Hsipaw Township on 23 October, sending hundreds of villagers into temporary displacement camps after they were forced to flee their homes.
