CNI News

4 Mar 2023

Shan State Restoration Council/Shan State Army troops and Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army troops clashed near Nantut Village in Kunhing Township in Shan State at 11 am on 2nd March.

SSPP troops encroached into the territory of the RCSS and the clashes erupted, RCSS Spokesperson Maj Sai Kham San told the CNI.

He said, "SSPP troops launched operations in our RCSS territory yesterday and clashed with our troops. I have not known the detailed situation on the ground. Clashes have stopped. Casualties have not been known. The fighting started at about 11 am yesterday."

However, the Tai Freedom of the RCSS reported that about 100 troops of the SSPP attacked an outpost of the RCSS from 11 am to 2 pm on 2nd March.

The CNI contacted the SSPP for comments over the fighting but the phone was switched off.

SSPP troops

Maj Sai Khan San told the CNI that SSPP encroached into the RCSS territory, and the RCSS had no plan to hold talks between the two Shan groups.

He said, "The clashes erupted in Kunhing Township, which is far from the border and is located in the interior territory of the RCSS. It was apparent that they wanted to encroach into our territory. They wanted to create a problem and encroached into our inner terrority."

The Joint Committee of Shan Monks and People called on the RCSS and the SSPP to stop fighting in Shan State in October, 2022.

The joint committee also said that the conflicts have exacerbated after allies forces from both sides are involved in them, leading to fiercer conflicts with more troops and more powerful weapons and serious human rights abuses.

The SSPP is a Shan EAO that has not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and the RCSS is a Shan EAC signatory to the ceasefire agreement.