Ongoing conflict near Lashio, Shan State: few pedestrians amidst intense fighting

Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) has been going on near Lashio since more than three days ago.

"Today, I can say that the sounds of artillery strikes and gunfire are a little closer to the city. It was quiet around noon at about noon. Ward No. 5 and 12 are the outlying districts of Lashio. On that side, I heard gunshots. Nothing happens in the city," said a resident of Lashio.

On the night of July 5, the MNDAA attacked the No.507 battalion near the 5th Ward of Lashio City and the army retreated. Attacks occurred near the site on July 6and the army recaptured the battalion, a resident close to the battlefield said.
 

“I heard that No.507 battalion was taken back on July 6. The camp on the Nant Pao was also recaptured with armoured vehicles. It is known that the MNDAA side has retreated," said a resident close to the battlefield.

However, some media reported that the MNDAA had occupied the military camp in Nant Pao, but it has not been confirmed. In the past days, homemade rockets fell into the city of Lashio almost every day, but on July 6, residents said that the homemade rockets had decreased.

On July 6, there were reports that a homemade rocket landed on a place in Lashio, but this has not been confirmed.

"They said that a homemade rocket attack occurred today. I don't know where it is. In the previous days, homemade rocket attacks occurred frequently. There are also civilian deaths. Today, it is much less," said a resident of Lashio.

According to residents, at least 10 people were killed when homemade rockets exploded in some areas of Lashio in the last few days.

At present, there are hardly any pedestrians to be seen in the city and people are still leaving the city, said a Lashio resident.

"When I looked around the city at noon, there was almost no pedestrian to be seen in the city. The city is very quiet. People who left the city are still present today," said a resident of Lashio who observed the situation on the ground.

There has been a power outage in Lashio for over a week, and the phone lines are also down.

"The electricity has been out for almost ten days now. To charge the phone, we have to go to places with solar power. I have to charge my phone in the shops where the generator is running. Most of them are in tea shops. Atom was good in recent days. On July 6, the line is not clear. It became difficult to speak. The rest of the operators are the same," said a resident of Lashio.

Due to the fighting near Lashio City, the locals have been moving to other areas since about three days ago.

Residents of Lashio said that they are using white flags on vehicles to go to other cities.

As many locals are leaving Lashio for other cities, thousands of vehicles are waiting to cross the river by raft at Sink-In Pier on the Lashio-Mandalay Union Highway.

Eleven Media

Asia News Network