Last week, people fled to Lashio after the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) attacked their village in northern Shan State, where Burma Army soldiers (BA) were camped.

According to a local, the villagers of Ei Nie sought refuge in a Buddhist monastery in Lashio or with their relatives. He said that about 20 BA soldiers were in the village for a few days before the MNDAA arrived.

During the attack, there was a firefight between the MNDAA and BA, before the latter fired heavy weapons from afar.

“The Kokang soldiers came to attack the Bamar (Burmese) soldiers who were in the middle of the village. Shells hit the village and houses were hit by bullets. We fled straight to my relative’s house in town (Lashio),” another male source told SHAN.

In 2018, the MNDAA fought with the BA in Ei Nie, with residents also fleeing.