On Wednesday, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), also known as the Kokang Army, came under fire from regime forces in Muse Township in northern Shan State.

.

A local source, who spoke to SHAN on condition of anonymity, said the military attacked the MNDAA at 2pm and fighting lasted for an hour, after which they drove off. “I don’t know if the military trucks were carrying wounded soldiers.”

However, government soldiers in three trucks soon arrived at Weing Hseng village, near where the fighting had broken out between Mongpaw and Mongkoe townships.

As phone service is poor in this region, SHAN was unable to provide details of casualties on either side by the time of going to press.

“Even though the fighting broke out in the jungle, it can easily spread to the villages and that is why we’re worried,” the man explained. “If that happens, it’ll be very difficult for us to escape because our area is mountainous.”

In early December, regime forces attacked the Ta’ang National Liberation Army’s (TNLA) camp in Namhsan Township.

After a week of fighting, the TNLA reportedly found the bodies of 47 government soldiers killed by friendly fire at the Buddhist monastery in Kon Tha, which they were using as cover, and they captured 24 soldiers alive.

The TNLA and the MNDAA, together with the Arakan Army, are members of the Three Brotherhood Alliance.