SOUTHERN SHAN STATE – Residents said that the Kyaukme military council artillery battalion fired more than 30 rounds of heavy weapons at the villages of Thonesal and Samase in Nawnghkio on March 22.
Although the junta Artillery Battalion – 352 unit based in Kyaukme fired at Thonesal and Zaykone Village of Samase, locals reported that there were no armed forces in those areas.
“TNLA (Ta’ang National Liberation Army) troops used to be stationed in those areas but the local Shan Gorakhas went to live there when TNLA moved out. But due to frequent heavy weapon attacks, no one dares to live there. The last time was the explosion at noodle factory (when people were there). We counted the sound of blasts from cannon, but didn’t go back to check on destruction as no one is living in the ruins,” said the local.
Due to heavy weapons fired from Artillery Battalion 352, it was reported that a man in his fifties was killed last February 24, and three family members including a thirteen-year-old child from Thonesal Village were killed on January 11.