Burma’s government forces have launched an offensive against the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) in Mong Kung Township, according to an RCSS/SSA spokesperson.

Col. Sai Hla said that Burmese army battalion 292 on Saturday attacked a relief center in Wan Boi village, Donglao village-tract, in southern Shan State’s Mong Kung Township.

“This relief center was initiated by local people and our armed group,” he said. “We set up the facility to treat drug addicts – we have about 50 addicts in the program.”

The assault on Wan Boi has continued through Monday, the Shan army spokesman said, compelling some 2,000 local villagers to flee their homes.

“We don’t want to create problems for these civilians,” Sai Hla told Shan Herald today. “When there is fighting, people suffer. We do not want this to happen, and we try to avoid it. However, the Tatmadaw [government forces] attacked us, and we have to protect ourselves.”

The RCSS/SSA was among eight ethnic armed groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government on October 15 last year.

As per the conditions of the accord, Sai Hla said, the RCSS/SSA informed the government and the regional military command of the assault by its troops after the attack.

“They [the Burmese military] said they will help solve problems,” he said. “But, on the other hand, they are attacking us.”

He added: “This is quite the opposite of our agreement to solve issues by peaceful means. And then they told us not to make a big issue out of it.”

Several clashes have broken out between Burmese government units and the RCSS/SSA since the signing of the NCA nearly a year ago. The first clash occurred on December 31 in Mong Peng Township in eastern Shan State’s Kengtung District.