Fighting broke out in northeast Myanmar on Tuesday as a five-month ceasefire brokered by China between junta forces and ethnic minority insurgents fell apart, with clashes including air strikes by military jets, residents of the area told Radio Free Asia.
An official in the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, insurgent force said the fighting in Shan state started because of attacks by junta forces on their positions.
“Fighting erupted around 5 a.m. and can still be heard,” said one resident of the area, about 220 km (140 miles) northeast of the city of Mandalay.
“Fighter jets shot and bombed near the side of Kyauk Kyan village,” said the resident who declined to be identified for security reasons. “The villagers have fled. We can’t leave through Kyauk Kyan because the road is closed and there’s fighting there.”
The TNLA is a member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance of insurgent factions that launched an offensive in October and made significant gains against junta forces, especially in areas of Shan state near the border with China.
Chinese officials brokered a ceasefire between the insurgent alliance and junta forces on Jan. 11 and organized talks between the rivals in May in the Chinese city of Kunming. Sources with knowledge of the talks said China was keen to protect its economic interests on the border and in Rakhine state on the coast.
The other two members of the insurgent alliance are the Arakan Army, from Rakhine state, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, based on the Chinese border.
Airstrikes in recent weeks
A TNLA statement on Tuesday said the junta has repeatedly violated the January truce over the last two weeks by conducting airstrikes and drone and artillery attacks in Kyaukme, Nawnghkio and Mogoke townships in Shan state.
The TNLA will defend itself if the junta continues to use airstrikes and heavy weapons, said the group’s general secretary, Major Gen. Tar Bone Kyaw.
The TNLA’s head of information, Lway Yay Oo, told RFA that the fighting began after junta troops attacked their camps.
“Fighting broke out with the junta army at the intersection of Nawnghkio’s Ohn Ma Thee village and Kyaukme’s Nyein Chan Yay Kone village,” she said.
Junta jets struck on the outskirts of Nawnghkio town, near an army camp at Kyauk Kyan village, residents said.
Fighting spread to the villages between Nawnghkio and Mandalay region’s Pyinoolwin, along a 56 km (35 mile) stretch of road where junta troops were attacking villages by air.
TNLA forces surrounded Kyaukme town while junta troops were shelling them from the camps in the town, residents said.
Two civilians were killed and four others were injured when the shells dropped in neighborhood No. 8 and in Kyaukme township’s Tilin ward, according to a volunteer for war-displaced persons.
“The official death toll is two until now,” the volunteer said. “But casualties are expected to be higher.”
A death toll report hasn’t been received from nearby Man Hkar village, which faced a barrage of artillery shells. Artillery attacks also hit two other villages, he said.
Could grow wider
The junta has yet to release any information about the renewed fighting. RFA called its national spokesperson, Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun, for comment but he did not respond.
A former military officer told RFA that the resurgence of fighting in northern Shan state is likely aimed at reducing pressure on the Arakan Army.
“This will prevent the military from sending reserve troops to Rakhine state,” he said.
However, political analyst Than Soe Naing said the renewed fighting could grow into a wider effort to capture more towns.
“The TNLA will decide if they take control of Kyaukme and Lashio townships,” he said. “If they continue to fight to control these townships, MNDAA will also join in the offensives.”
The junta appears to be preparing for wider conflict as well. Earlier this month, troops used bulldozers and other heavy equipment in northern Shan State to make several key roads impassable as the TNLA and MNDAA began to reassemble forces.
The main road to Kyaukme was one of the roads that was destroyed and blocked. As a result, the cost of transporting goods into the area has nearly doubled, one truck driver said.
“I no longer wish to continue. There’s no profit left,” he said. “Crossing the creek now costs about 700,000 kyats (US$180), including payment to both sides.”
The military junta has also imposed restrictions on the transportation of rice, edible oil, medicine and fuel into the area, according to several sources who have traveled through the area.
That has led to a severe shortage of items like meat, fish and medicine, a shop owner in Hseni said.
Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Kiana Duncan, Mike Firn and Matt Reed.