Three killed in renewed clashes near embattled Myanmar town
Heavy fighting after failure of Chinese ceasefire effort, residents and insurgents say
Three civilians were killed in shelling by Myanmar junta forces on the outskirts of the town of Lashio after a Chinese-brokered ceasefire failed to hold and fighting between the military and insurgents resumed, residents told Radio Free Asia on Tuesday.
Northeastern Myanmar's Shan state has been rocked by clashes between junta forces and fighters in a group called the Three Brotherhood Alliance since last October despite efforts by China to halt the conflict near its border.
One of the factions in the alliance, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, announced a new ceasefire from July 14 to the end of the month, citing Chinese pressure after the collapse of an earlier truce that China brokered in January to protect its economic interests, insurgent sources said at the time.
But the ceasefire failed to stop clashes, residents said, and the three civilians were killed in junta artillery and drone attacks on Nawng Lai village, about 5 km (three miles) from Lashio town, on Monday.
One resident, who declined to be named fearing reprisals, identified the victims as three men: Tuja, 41, chairman of the village’s Baptist church, Branson Awng, 23, and La Htoi, 34.
“La Htoi was hit in the leg when he was carrying Tuja’s body to a trench. He ended up bleeding all night because there was no cell phone service for him to contact anyone,” the resident said.
“People heard him shouting but were unable to find him because of all the gunfire and explosions.”
Neither Shan state’s junta spokesperson, Khun Thein Maung, nor MNDAA spokesperson Li Kya Win responded to requests from RFA for comment.
Lashio is the main town in northern Shan state, about half-way between Myanmar’s second city of Mandalay and the Chinese border.
Its fall to the insurgents would be a major setback for the junta that seized power in a 2021 coup. Junta forces have suffered a string of setbacks since late last year in several parts of the country.
Tens of thousands of Lashio’s residents have fled because of the fighting but many thousands of people have become trapped there because roads have been closed, residents and aid workers have said.
The MNDAA said 317 junta soldiers, including four officers and five captains, surrendered on Sunday. The group released a video of rows of junta troops sitting on the floor of a meeting hall being addressed by MNDAA officials.
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Fight for Mogoke
About 125 km (75 miles) to the west of Lashio, another faction in the Three Brotherhood Alliance captured a junta prison camp in the gem-mining town of Mogoke, the group announced.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, and allied anti-junta militias have captured more than 36 military bases in a surge of fighting since late June. Residents estimate that 100,000 people have fled from six towns in the Mandalay region because of the clashes.
The TNLA captured the west of Mogoke town on July 16, and has been fighting for control of the east since Thursday. Shelling has killed at least 11 people in the town and wounded 17, residents have said.
The group gained more ground in eastern Mogoke, capturing the prison near Pan Ma Hteik village, the TNLA said, adding that 20 junta soldiers were killed in the battle and various weapons and ammunition were seized. It gave no information about casualties on its side.
A resident of the area said fighting was heavy on Tuesday.
“Planes are dropping bombs and Nilar Market in the eastern part of Mogoke has been heavily damaged by shelling,” he said. “The junta’s strategic hill is being heavily attacked.
RFA tried to telephone Thein Htay, a junta council spokesman for the Mandalay region for information but he did not answer calls.
TNLA troops are also fighting for territory in Nawnghkio and Kyaukme townships in northern Shan state, the group said in a statement on Monday. It said 109 civilians had been killed and 136 wounded by junta artillery fire from June 25 to Monday across Shan state and the Mandalay region.
Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan.
