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Another Shan patrol clashes with junta infantry
A Shan State Army (SSA) South patrol encountered its Burma Army opposite number on the Thai-Burma border, resulting in a five minute clash, according to the rebel bulletin.
By: Lieng Lern
On 29 January
2008 at 9:00, Second Lieutenant Sai Kee who led a 6 men patrol from the SSA’s
Battalion 242, encountered a patrol from Burma Army Infantry Battalion (IB) 246
at a location 2 km west of Nawng Aw village, opposite Meahongson’s Pang Mapha
district. The ensuing clash lasted 5 minutes.
According to the bulletin,
there was no casualty on the SSA side, while the Burma Army suffered one
dead.
The SSA withdrew afterwards but Burmese troops continued shelling
for about an hour. “They might think that we were still there or maybe they
wanted to drive us away to collect the dead body,” one Shan fighter
said.
More clashes between the two sides have been reported since the
beginning of the dry season. But both Shan and Thai security sources agree that
there are as yet no indications of an impending offensive, apart from the drive
by the Burma Army to stock its border bases with 3-4 month food
supplies.
The SSA South, as it is popularly known, was formed following
the surrender of the Mong Tai Army (MTA), led by the late Khun Sa, in 1996. It
is reportedly the strongest anti-junta armed resistance movement.
Villagers tortured for "not seeing" the rebels