Forces belonging to the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) fought in northern Shan State’s Kyaukme Township on Monday, locals confirmed. 

The clash began at 2:30 p.m. and lasted up to two hours, RCSS spokesperson Lt-Col Sai Oo told SHAN. It occurred between Hurng Wol and Kham Kao village in Mong Ngaw sub-township. 

“The TNLA forces began by attacking our forces,” he said. 

The TNLA reported that the RCSS attacked them while the Ta’ang soldiers were carrying out regional security measures. 

A local in Mong Ngaw said that the fighting had “intensified” with the most recent clash. 

“They fought each other for hours. Nobody was hurt. No houses were damaged,” the local said. 

RCSS and TNLA forces have frequently clashed in Kyaukme, and throughout northern Shan State since 2015. That same year, the RCSS signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the Burmese government and military; the TNLA is among the groups that are not signatory to the accord. 

Lt-Col Sai Oo said that problems between the ethnic armed groups should be solved in a meeting of the organizations’ leaders. 

The clash came as the TNLA and the Burma Army have been engaged in intensified fighting in Namhsan Township, also in northern Shan State, since September 13.