Shelling between rival ethnic armed organisations squabbling over territory in southern Shan State injured the driver of a vehicle visiting a Buddhist monastery where hundreds of civilians who have fled the conflict are staying in Mongkung Township.

“The clash broke out near the IDP (internally displaced persons) camp (on the monastery grounds). Fortunately, no one was wounded… We did not hear any heavy weapons today,” a local man helping them told SHAN on October 18, a day after the fighting broke out.

Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) fought near the Kong Sone Buddhist monastery in Ham Ngai village tract between 8am and 10am on Sunday.

“I do not know which armed group attacked our car. There were 7 people in the car at the time and I was the only one injured,” said Aik Htwe, 48, from Nawng Tao village. He had just returned from Ham Ngai market when he was injured by shrapnel during shelling.  The vehicle also sustained damages.

Aik Htwe is receiving medical treatment at Mongkung Public Hospital.

The fighting has displaced over 1,000 villagers from the village tract, with over 500 of them staying at Kong Sone monastery. Over the weekend, 70 people fled the fighting.

“Villagers in Ham Ngai have been displaced for over a month and have not had enough food for five days,” a member of the IDP committee told SHAN. In nearby Pangketu village tract,  there’s over 2,000 IDPs.