Over 200 civilians trapped by fighting in Shan State village

By DMG 10 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
10 December 2022, Namhsan, northern Shan State 

More than 200 residents of Kontha Village in Namhsan Township, northern Shan State, are still reportedly trapped by ongoing fighting between the military and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). 

The Kontha villagers are unable to flee and are pinned down in the village by a military offensive that has included airstrikes, artillery fire and ground troops during four days, and counting, of hostilities with the TNLA, an aid worker said. 

“Over 200 locals are stuck in Kontha Village and the strandees are not allowed to leave the village. They cannot be contacted as the military besieged the village,” the aid worker explained. 

The fighting, which began on December 7, had displaced approximately 1,000 people from four villages as of Saturday, with many of the internally displaced people (IDPs) taking shelter at Buddhist monasteries in other villages. 

“As of this afternoon, residents from four villages fled to our village. There are around 1,000 IDPs taking refuge at the villages’ monasteries,” said an official from a social organisation in Zayangyi Village. 

Junta troops attempted to raid some villages near a TNLA camp, firing mortar shells and conducting airstrikes into residential areas, according to a TNLA ground source. 

“The fighting between the military and TNLA is ongoing, with the military using attack helicopters and jet fighters. The military sent ground troop reinforcements into the area,” the TNLA source added. 

DMG attempted to contact TNLA spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Tar Aik Kyaw and regime spokesman Major-General Zaw Min Tun for comment on the matter, but they could not be reached.