The Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), who are allies but have internal tensions, met in Panghsang Town in the Wa Self-Administered Division to resolve the disputes.

At the conference in Panghsang, the United Wa State Army (UWSA) headquarters, Lieutenant-General Sao Khun Hseng, vice chairman of SSPP, and Tar Aik Bong, chairman of TNLA, led their respective delegations to discuss military tensions.

“It can be confirmed that the two sides had a meeting yesterday in Panghsang. However, what they discussed remains unknown”, a source close to the matter told SHAN.

Due to rising military tensions between SSPP and TNLA in Nawngping Village Tract in Kyaukme Township and Kyangin (Yaepu) Village in Hsipaw (Thibaw) Township since July 5, both sides have requested the UWSA-led Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) to intervene and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

On July 8, TNLA accused SSPP of deliberately interfering with its offensive operations against junta troops in Hsipaw and Kyaukme during the second wave of ‘Operation 1027,’ which commenced on June 25, and issued a warning to SSPP to cease such actions.

On July 5, a TNLA unit traveling to a foothill military camp near Nawngping Village Tract was ambushed by SSPP, resulting in the deaths of seven TNLA troops, including a senior commander and two battalion commanders, TNLA announced.

The Three Brotherhood Alliance, which includes TNLA, is currently conducting attacks in Nawnghkio (Naungcho), Kyaukme, Hsipaw, Mogok, as well as Lashio, where the junta’s northeastern military command headquarters is located. Meanwhile, on July 11, UWSA deployed more than 2000 troops to Tangyan Town.

On July 12, SSPP deployed a substantial military presence in Mongyai, located just 40 miles from Lashio, stating its intention to prevent the conflict from spreading to the town.