SENG PHOO — Four villagers were wounded during fighting between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State.

The villagers, who included a pregnant woman, were hurt after a shell struck Nam Pai village, located in Namtu Township, on December 10. At the time of the explosion, they were in the kitchen of one of their homes in the village.

Volunteers rushed the villagers to the Namtu hospital.

All of the residents from Nam Pai or 225 people fled to a monastery in Nam Pai village, said Sai Ba Nyan, one of the volunteers assisting the wounded civilians.

At the time of press, it’s unclear which of the armed groups fired the shell that injured the villagers.

TNLA reported fighting with RCSS three times this month because it claims the Shan armed group invaded its territory.

Villagers from Ner Kyel, Kon Kyaung, Ner Keng and Piang Loung villages in Man San village-tract in Namtu township were displaced by fighting that broke out between the ethnic armed groups on December 9.