A Burma Army military convoy was attacked in Kutkai Township, northern Shan State on Friday, with a mortar shell hitting a vehicle but injuring no one.

The incident occurred near Namkut village, on the road to Namphetka, where the government forces reportedly traveled with 10 military vehicles.

Burma Army spokesperson Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun told Irrawaddy News that the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) was responsible; neither the Burma Army nor the TNLA answered SHAN’s phone calls to give comment.

According to an official TNLA report, Ta’ang forces clashed with the Burma Army near Namkut at around 10:00 a.m. on May 29, after a Burma Army convoy from Muse came to Kutkai. The TNLA reported that Burma army’s military convoy came from Muse to Kutkai town, and they then exchanged gunfire on the road. A military vehicle from the Burma Army was hit by a shell and burned, according to the report, and TNLA soldiers allegedly seized weapons and ammunition from the vehicle.  

More than 100 trucks and buses were trapped by the fighting on the Kutkai-Namphetka road until 5:00 p.m. that day.

“Our cars had to stop at the Kutkai toll gate for the whole day. We were able start going again at 5:00 p.m.,” a driver who was trapped by the clash told SHAN.