On the night of 17 February, two civilians including a six-month old baby were killed by junta shelling in the Pa-O Self-administered Zone in southern Shan State. Seven civilians were injured during the shelling.

Local people reported that the soldiers were indiscriminately firing artillery shells into civilian villages in Hsihseng Township of Shan State, which is part of the Pa-O Self-administered Zone. Locals said that the shelling was done by soldiers from Light Infantry Battalions 425 and 426, who are based in the eastern area of Ban Yin village in Hsihseng Township.

The two civilians who died were a baby and a local man in Htam Yam village, according to a resident of Htam Yam village who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

“Shells landed in Htam Yam village yesterday. The shelling killed a six-month old baby and a local man. The Burma army has continued to fire shells into our area today,” the local man told SHAN.

On 18 February, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) reported that the Burma army’s indiscriminate shelling injured both parents of the deceased baby as well as five villagers in Htee Tam village.

The PNLA reported that their troops were not deployed in these civilian villages, and that no fighting was reported at the time when the Burma army attacked these civilian villages with artillery. The PNLA spokesperson said that the State Administration Council troops had intentionally attacked civilian villages in Hsihseng Township.

Elsewhere in Hsihseng Township, residents of Hsaik Hkawng village said that the Burma army’s artillery unit had indiscriminately fired shells in the area on 17 February.

There have been on-going clashes and escalating tensions between the PNLA and Burma army in Hsihseng Township since January 2024.