Fierce clashes have broken out once again in Tawng Me Thin village, Long Pyin village tract, Pang Laung (Pinlaung) Township, southern Shan State, between the military council’s troops, the Pa-O National Organization/Pa-O National Army (PNO/PNA), and the Karenni Revolutionary Coalition forces, beginning on October 7 and continuing through October 9, according to local sources.

Tawng Me Thin, already devastated by heavy fighting in early 2023, has once again become a battlefield. The earlier conflict displaced more than 3,000 villagers, many of whom have not yet been able to return home.

“The fighting has essentially resumed. It’s been ongoing since October 7, up to this morning. The military and the PNO have advanced with significant forces,” a military source on the ground told SHAN.

During the 2023 clashes, thousands of civilians from Tawng Me Thin fled to nearby villages. Most have remained displaced ever since, living in makeshift shelters or with host families.

“The villagers who fled in 2023 haven’t gone back, so they don’t need to flee again now. But after more than two years, their livelihoods are in crisis. The children have lost access to education,” said a 30-year-old aid worker assisting displaced families.

More than two years of displacement have left the 3,000-plus internally displaced persons (IDPs) struggling to survive. Many families rely on daily labor for income, while others borrow food just to get through the day. Children, unable to attend school, are increasingly forced into work to help their families make ends meet.

Tawng Me Thin village, about an hour’s motorbike ride from Pang Laung, is under the control of the military and PNO forces. Nearby villages — including Nan Nint, Pin Pon, and Long Pyin — are also dominated by the same military-aligned groups.

“If the PNO regains full control of the area, we want them to carry out proper mine clearance operations. People shouldn’t suffer because of landmines. Safety must come first — it’s still too dangerous to return home,” the aid worker urged.

The Pa-O Youth Organization (PYO) confirmed that more than 30 schools in Pai Khun Township were unable to open in 2024. This year, only a few have resumed classes, and attendance remains low due to poverty and insecurity.

“It’s true that school dropout rates are high because of economic hardship. Many children are going out to work. We don’t yet have full data, but the situation is worsening,” a PYO official told SHAN.

Military sources said the junta is likely to intensify ground offensives in collaboration with the PNO in an effort to retake lost territory ahead of the December 28 election it plans to organize.