Burma-Myanmar: United Wa State Army (UWSA) and Myanmar Army (MA) engage in dangerous maneuvers
Thousands of Myanmar Army (MA) and United Wa State Army (UWSA) troops are encircling one another around a strategic mountain in Monghsat township, opposite Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces, according to Thai and Shan sources.
Pakae, the Wa outpost, one mile south of Loi Hsarm Hsoom, where the Burma Army is guarding its communication line between Monghsat and Tachilek, is being surrounded by Burmese troops, who are in turn surrounded by Wa troops. Pakae is higher than Loi Hsarm Hsoom and poses as a threat to the later.
Loi Hsarm Hsoom is 13 miles east of Monghsat and 51 miles west of Tachilek, opposite Maesai.
So far there has been no report of a shootout between the two sides. “We are not going to shoot first,” one of the Wa officers was quoted as saying by a local. “But once the first shot is fired by the Burmese, we will not confine the fight to just Pakae. We are going to carry it to wherever the Burmese troops are.”