An artillery shell landed on a corn farm in northern Shan State’s Namtu Township on Friday morning, killing one woman and wounding two others.



The farm is near Mang Wah village in Loi Pyae village tract. According to the chairperson of Namtu Township’s branch of the Ta’ang National Party (TNP), the women were working in the fields at the time of the shelling. All three were hit by shrapnel.



“One woman has received medical treatment at Namtu hospital. Another woman, who has critical injuries, is receiving medical treatment in Lashio hospital,” TNP chair Tar Aik Hteik told NMG. “Shrapnel hit the woman on the lower part of her body. Shrapnel is still inside her body. So she will need surgery.”



The woman who was killed was Mauk Seng. The two women who were injured were Lway Oh Hurng and Lway Seng Kham. All are from the community of Mang Wah.



The Burma Army and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) have been engaged in clashes around Mang Wah village since November 28. The shell that hit the corn farm is believed to have come from the fighting between these two groups, but it is unknown which side fired it.



They fought each other all day yesterday and until noon today,” Tar Aik Hteik told NMG on Friday. “We could not hear the sound of assault rifles, because [Mang Wah] is a bit far from Namtu town. But we heard the sound of heavy weapons being fired. They were shot out all the day yesterday. They were also shot out today. Shells landed inside the village, on farms and outside the village,” he explained.



NMG contacted both the Burma Army and the RCSS for comment, but received no response at the time of reporting.



The clashes occurred despite the RCSS being a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the government and military.