Fighting has escalated for four consecutive days between the military council, the Pa-O National Army (PNO), and ethnic revolutionary forces in Hsawpyaw and Namparmu villages in Paing-Laung Township, southern Shan State. The conflict has forced residents to flee their homes, a local women spoke to Kantarawaddy Times.

“Residents of Namparmu and Hsawpyaw are evacuating due to the intensified fighting. They are fleeing because of a significant deployment of State Administration Council (SAC) troops conducting an intensive military operation in the area. The road from Hsawpyaw to Cherry Kone, Lae-Ii, and La-tin, which leads west, is blocked. This route also connects to Loikaw city, which is also inaccessible. At such, IDPs are relocating from village to village to escape the conflict,” a local woman stated.

The intense clashes in Hsawpyaw and Namparmu, as well as neighboring villages, have compelled locals to flee, including IDPs who had been residing in those areas. As a consequence of the ongoing battles, the exact number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) remains unreported. . However, locals have confirmed casualties among villagers, attributed to the use of heavy weaponry by the junta forces.

Ethnic resistanceforces have closed the road from Hsawpyaw to Peking due to security concerns caused by the fighting, according to residents. Fighting also erupted in neighboring villages along the border of Pekhong  and Paing-Laung Township on March 7.

Despite the intensifying situation, no official statements have been released by the ethnic resistance forces regarding the status of the battle or casualties in Paing-Laung township.

In response to the escalating conflict, the Moebye-Pekhon Alliance, comprising various ethnic armed groups, issued a warning on March 16 advising the public to avoid travel by land or water routes and seek refuge in safer areas amidst the ongoing “1111 Operation” related fighting.