19 August
AA, TNLA and MNDAA armed groups were blowing up bridges in Nawnghkio, Hsenwi and Kunlong townships in northern Shan State, and approaching Kutkai to attack the town with heavy weapons from afar. But they fled with heavy losses when the Tatmadaw columns repulsed them, according to the information released by the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
AA, TNLA and MNDAA armed groups blew up the 50-foot long and 25-foot wide reinforced concrete bridge at the entrance of Nartee village at 31st-mile on Lashio- Hsenwi-Kunlong Union Highway at about 5 pm on 17 August. The bridge was damaged and transport cutoff.
At about 10 am yesterday, about 150 members of the armed groups approached Kutkai from three places from the south-west of the town to fire heavy weapons on the town. When the Tatmadaw columns attacked them they retreated with heavy losses. There were four engagements between Tatmadaw columns that were taking security measures and the groups in the surrounding areas of Lashio-Kutkai-Nanphatkha-Muse and Hsenwi-Kunlong Union highways.
At about 5.30 am on 15 August, AA, TNLA and MNDAA armed groups fired small arms and heavy weapons at Defence Services Technological Academy in PyinOoLwin, PyinOoLwin tollgate towards Nawnghkio, Gote Twin police station in Nawnghkio Township, Shan State (North), Nawnghkio tollgate towards Kyaukme, narcotics inspection gate, local battalion headquarters, killing two innocent civilians and three policemen and injuring 13 innocent civilians and two policemen.
During the incident, 17 small arms, six magazines, 1,312 rounds of cartridges, one drug finder, one chemical tester, four walkie talkies were lost, three cars were burnt down and the floor of the Gote Twin bridge was damaged and transport halted.
Tatatmadaw reinforcements went to Gote Twin police station, Nawnghkio tollgate, Asia Wall tollgate, and continued to conduct counterattack. During the operation, they found six Type 63 107mm shells, sites created by AA, TNLA and MNDAA insurgents to launch rocket attacks, and a battery on a hill east of DSTA and an eastern side of PyinOoLwin-Lashio Road. There were also engagements with Tatmadaw columns at Nawnghkio drugs inspection gate and Gote Twin police station.
AA, TNLA and MNDAA armed groups were dissatisfied with the Tatmadaw’s seizure of their narcotic drugs at a street value of over K 16 billion and accessories including pressing machines, and drug refineries in the surrounding areas of Chaungzon to the south east of Shawhauk village in Kutkai Township on 25 July, and about K 5 billion worth of drugs, and ammunition and related equipment at Yetkhintaing village, Yathedaung Township, Rakhine State, on 8 August. The insurgents committed the violent attacks in retaliation of the seizures, according to the information released by Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and Myanmar Police Force on 15 August. Tatmadaw columns are taking appropriate security measures to rebuild the mine-damaged bridges, and to resume traffic and ensure peace, stability and the rule of law in the areas.
—MNA
(Translated by TMT)
