A villager killed and two houses burnt due to artillery shelling

Ta’ang Women’s Organization

Large artillery shells from the fighting between Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA), fell in Nyaung Sui and Mai Hon villages in Namtu Township on 5 January, burning down two houses. A villager was killed on the spot due to a gunshot wound.

Tensions between the two armies have been rising since the end of December and 268 local villagers from Nyaung Sui, Mai Hon and Luk Lay villages have fled to Mangyan Monastery in Man Hon in Mangyan village tract.

Abbot from Nyaung Sui village monastery said, “Fighting started since 7 in the moring. Palaung (Ta’ang) soldiers were in the village. Shan army shot from Mai Hon and an artillery shell hit a house. Cars from Mansan war refugee association arrived after the fighting to pick up the villagers.”

A 50 years old man, Ta Aik Ngo who was watching the fighting in front of his house, was killed on the spot by a stray bullet. The abbot said the body of him was left in the village and until the time of reporting the body has not been burnt and burried.

The owner of the burnt house said, “Currently we are staying at the monastery. House of grandma was wholly burnt. We didn’t get anything except a blanket. Now, we lost everything and we don’t know what to do for future.”

Furthermore, 612 locals from Hway Hon, Mai Hon and Narmat villages had fled to Narsai village. The fighting between two armies continues.

Photo-We Zay Ya