The junta’s air force flew about four airstrikes near Nam Neint village following clashes on 16 April, the last day of this year’s Thingyan, Binjamin, spokesman of the Pa-O National Defense Force – Kham Kaung (PNDF-KK), told Kantarawaddy Times.
“We heard that they bombed four times with aircraft yesterday. They used fighter jets too many times. It must be clashes around Nam Neint in Pinlaung,” the PNDF(KK) spokesman said.
The Kantarawaddy Times could not verify the number of casualties on both sides in the clashes.
Fierce fighting has been occurring in southern Shan State since the last week of February, including in the area around Nam Neint village, where 30 civilians, including three monks, were killed.
Fighting is also reportedly occurring near Salong (South) and Salong (North) villages in the Hkawngei village tract in Pekon Township. Military council troops are also present near Longpyin village, according to local defense forces.
“Not every day, but I am not so sure about the situation right now. The clashes sometimes last for days, and sometimes sporadically. It is not that there are no more clashes in the area,” said the spokesman of Battalion 2 of the PDF – Moebye.
Moreover, the regime army is also shelling from the military bases in Pekon and Pinlaung with artillery, he added. Fighting continues with the junta army, which has been planning to deploy reinforcements in Karenni State since 24 February, and more troops are still being deployed by the junta.
“We had expected that they would definitely move more troops. They must have deployed more troops one way or another. In this situation, they will certainly deploy reinforcements this area by any means,” the spokesman of Battalion 2 of the PDF – Moebye continued.
In the southern Shan State, clashes between the junta troops and joint forces of PNDF (KK), KNDF, KA and PDF have been occurring since February.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times