The Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) has until today, 10 June, to withdraw from three camps between Monghsu and Tang Yang townships in southern Shan State. However, the spokesperson for the ethnic armed organisation (EAO), Col Sai Hsu, said it’ll resist the Burma Army’s (BA) order even if fighting breaks out when BA troops enter its territory.

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“We simply cannot withdraw from these camps and will wait to see what happens on the ground, where we’re ready to defend ourselves,” he said, explaining that the SSPP has been in the areas along the Monghsu-Tangyan road for a decade.

“They’ve invited us to the peace talks in Naypyitaw and at the same time are forcing us to withdraw from our military camps just to cause problems.” Sai Hsu said that fighting will surely break out if they refuse to withdraw and that they’ll not be able to meet with State Administration Council chair Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Burma’s capital, which the EAO has already agreed to.