The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) reportedly attacked two Myanmar army positions, including No. 2 Police Station in the center of Lashio town in Shan State.
The attack on the junta’s police station in Ward 12 came after ethnic army troops entered Kanmein Monastery in the center of the city at around 3 pm on 5 June, Lashio residents told the Shan Herald.
“We heard gunshots around 3 pm. About 80 Kokang army troops took up positions near Kanmein Monastery and opened fire on the police station. The shooting lasted for about half an hour. There might be casualties on the regime side, but details are not yet known,” a woman in her forties from Lashio told the Shan Herald.
Both light and heavy weapons were reportedly used in the attack, and bullet holes were found in the gate and brick wall of the station.
Shortly after the shooting at the No. 2 Police Station, gunshots were also heard from the direction of Manaing village.
A local from Lashio said, “Kokang troops advanced to the Manaing area via the route near Konenyaung village. They retreated after firing about ten shots and two heavy shells at Myanmar army guards. However, the junta soldiers unilaterally fired shots at residential areas for more than ten minutes.”
Local residents further said they found weapon shells in the village after the junta soldiers took position in Manaing village and fired shots at the retreating MNDAA troops.
The Lashio local further explained that the shots may have been fired from Manaing village to facilitate the exit of the Kokang fighters who had taken positions near Kanmein Monastery.
“In my opinion, this is because Manaing village and No. 2 Police Station are in the south and the other is in the north. So the Kokang group might have done this to put the junta soldiers on the spot and facilitate the withdrawal of their fighters from the city center. We can tell from their insignia that they are Kokang forces,” he said.
Along with other members of the Three Brothers Alliance, the MNDAA met with the National Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee (NSPNC), which is under the Myanmar’s junta, in Mongla on 1-2 June.
The Myanmar army continues its offensives on the ethnic armies’ positions despite the announcement of the one-year ceasefire.
Sent by Shan Herald.