TNLA clashes with military council forces in Kutkai and Muse

15-year-old girl was killed by the military council’s shelling in the three-day fighting between the military council force and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Namphatkar village in Kutkai Township in northern Shan State.

“At around 7:30 am on 30 August, a heavy shell fired by Infantry Battalion-123 from Namphatkar landed on a house in the village and killed a 15-year-old girl,” Major Tar Aike Kyaw, spokesperson of the TNLA said.

“The military council’s indiscriminate shelling hit four civilians and killed a 15-year-old girl. She died from a head wound,” he said. At around 10:30 am on 31 August, a heavy shell landed on a house in Namphatkar lower market and wounded a man, according to locals.

At the same time, the heavy shelling killed a woman and seriously wounded another woman. The wounded woman was sent to the Kutkai hospital, locals continued.

Although there is no ground battle near Sellant village in Muse Township, the military council army has been firing heavy shells into Lwalhtalmein mountain of the TNLA camp since 28 August, according to the information department of the TNLA.

In addition, on the evening of 31 August, the military council carried out attacks by a jet fighter, according to the information department of the TNLA.

Residents said that due to such shootings by the military council, more than a thousand residents of Sellant village had to seek refuge in nearby villages.

The military council’s five infantry battalions under Division-99, No.45 Battalion based in Kutkai are attacking the TNLA in Namphatkar and Sellant villages, in cooperation with Lone Htan militia and Namkham Myoma militia-1, 2 and 3, according to the TNLA.

According to local residents and the TNLA, tension between the military council and TNLA continues in Namphatka and Sellant villages until now. The details of the casualties on both sides in the fighting are still unknown as the area has not yet been cleared, Major Tar Aike Kyaw, Spokesperson of the TNLA said.