25 : SSA-S ambushes Burmese troop

 
The Burmese Army suffered a blow following an ambush by the Shan State Army-South in Mongkerng Township last week. A major and six soldiers of LIB 514 of the Burma Army were killed and 10 injured.

Brigade 198 of Shan State Army-South ambushed the Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 514 of the Burma Army, based in Mongkerng Township, according to sources close to SSA-S.

The ambush led by Lieutenant Colonel San Wi of SSA-S took place 30 miles north of Mongkhun town in Mongkerng Township on December 2.

According to unconfirmed reports a major and six soldiers of the LIB 514 were killed and 10 injured.

The sporadic clashes between the SSA-S and the Burma Army have forced locals to flee their homes.

On the day preceding the ambush more than 20 villagers from Wankeng village tract in Mongkerng Township fled to the Thai border.

The reason they fled was that the regiment commander of LIB 514 had called the village headmen in the area for a meeting and ordered them to host four soldiers in each village. If any Burmese soldier disappears, 10 villagers will be exchanged for one. Fear of being executed made the villagers flee, said one of the villagers who escaped to the border.

"The purpose of having Burmese soldiers in each village is to keep an eye on the movement of SSA-S troops and to find out whether villagers provide rations to them," explained the villager.

A family from the area, including four children had to spend about Kyat one million to travel to the Thai border, he said.

Living in the area is becoming increasingly difficult by the day, due to the on-going clashes between the SSA-S and the Burma Army, the villager added.