Civilians are worried after fighting broke out between the Burma Army (BA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near their village in Kutkai Township, northern Shan State.

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According to local reports, the KIA and BA fought on Bat Nute hill at around 8pm on 1 August. Shelling and bullets hit near the villages at the foot of the hill.

“Several bullets hit some trees in our village. We could not sleep at night because we were afraid of shelling,” a woman from Bat Nute told SHAN about the 30-minute clash, wishing the groups were fighting in the jungle far away from the people.

”If there are clashes near villages, the residents will suffer. And no one will help us. We have suffered too much already,” she said.

A child was killed by a shell that hit Marn Nawng during fighting between the armed groups in Kutkai on 25 July.

The other armed groups active in the township are Ta’ang National Liberation Army, Shan State Progress Party and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.