Cars carrying aid workers attacked in Muse, one philanthropic man injured

Clinics are set up at five shelters in Muse to provide medical care to IDPs.

Ko Ye Min Aung, 23, receives treatment at hospital.

Nay Pyi Taw November 22

Northern Shan State remained under attack yesterday, this time in Muse, near the Chinese border, when two cars carrying philanthropic workers were attacked, causing one man to be seriously injured.

At about 4pm yesterday, an armed group identified by the government as a combined force of KIA, TNLA and MNDAA opened fire on two automobiles owned by the Myittamon Philanthropic team in Muse township and the Parami Civil Society as the cars headed to the 105 mile trade zone to help displaced people, according to the State Counsellor’s Office Information Committee.

The philanthropic teams left for the trade zone after they heard that there were displaced people in Lwein village and nearby camps. On their way, KIA, TNLA & MNDAA began shooting at the cars with light firearms from an uphill position, hitting Ko Ye Min Aung, 23, in the chest. The vehicle did not proceed to the camp, but instead returned to Muse hospital with the injured man on board.

It is reported that the injured man is continuing to receive medical treatment at the hospital. Yesterday’s 4pm attack came after Kutkai on Sunday endured repeated heavy artillery fire in several attacks by the KIA, the TNLA and the MNDAA, resulting in eight deaths and 29 injuries, according to the State Counsellor’s Office Information Committee.

The information committee said military outposts, police stations and a trade centre came under surprised attack by armed groups consisting mostly of KIA and TNLA troops, who also used vehicles along the Lashio-Muse Road and threatened to destroy the bridge between Namtu and Manton with explosives. Casualities and injuries were reported as a result of the attacks, but no statistics were available, the committee said.

Early Sunday morning, the Kyukoke (Pangsang) police outpost came under fire by about 50 KIA/ TNLA troops. Government troops made a clearance operation after the attack, the committee said.

At about 4 pm yesterday, KIA and TNLA troops fired three rounds using a 60mm long-range gun mortar at the township of Kutkai. One mortar round pierced the roof of Daw Gunkhaung’s house, but did not explode. Other rounds exploded but did not result in any deaths, officials said.

Government troops pursued the armed groups as they fled in a northeast direction at about 4:10pm, according to the Information Committee.

Sunday at about 8 pm, KIA & TNLA troops blocked the road at milestone 262/2 with four 22-wheeled articulated trucks, one 12-wheeled lorry and one oil bowser. As the government troops cleared the area, traffic returned to normal state at 9am yesterday.

Later Sunday evening at about 9:30pm, the TNLA group planted a bomb at the Namlarchaung wooden bridge, destroying the bridge floor.

At about 6am yesterday, the KIA, TNLA and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) launched about 100 rounds of artillery fire for nearly 10 minutes until government troops pursued them, causing them to retreat towards the south, it is learnt.

Yesterday morning’s attack on the philanthropic workers in Muse resulted in serious injury to a Myanmar man who was on his way to provide philanthropic help to internally displaced persons in camps near the border.

The Myawady Daily