The Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) has lost an outpost near the Sino-Burmese border, after coming under a fierce attack by the Burmese army on Thursday morning, rebels told DVB on Friday.
SSA-S spokesperson, Major Sai Lao Hseng, said the group was forced to withdraw from their outpost in Nawngma village, Namhkam township, on Thursday afternoon after hundreds of Burmese soldiers descended on their territory.
“After the clash went on for a while, the Burmese army began sending more reinforcements – they had about 500-600 troops, while we only had some ambush units and 100-200 troops scattered around the area,” said Sai Lao Hseng.
Some 2,000 local residents from 19 villages on both sides of the adjacent Ruili River were forced to flee from their homes – with many heading over the Chinese border.