On Monday, numerous regime soldiers were reportedly killed during fighting with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Kyaukme Township, northern Shan State.

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A TNLA officer, who didn’t reveal his name, said they killed at least 15 soldiers and injured at least 5 after the Infantry battalion 68 (IB 68), Military Operation Command (MOC 16) and the air force attacked the Ta’ang group’s camp near Nam Khong.

“About 60 BA soldiers from MOC 16 and IB 68 attacked our camp. Clashes intensified from 7am until 9:45am,” he said, explaining that after the junta suffered many fatalities they sent in a jet fighter to strafe them.

“We captured some weapons and ammunition from them,” he said. The TNLA seized two assault rifles, a machine gun, a RPG, grenades, magazines, ammunition and other military equipment.

Locals are worried about persistent fighting after the regime have retained their troops around Nam Khong.

TNLA has been barred from signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the previous government and wasn’t among the armed groups that attended the so-called peace talks with the military regime in Naypyidaw. The group is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance with Arakan Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which also haven’t signed the NCA.

At the beginning of the year, the junta claimed a unilateral ceasefire across the country but has been continuing to launch offensives against several of the ethnic armed groups.