12 Myanmar troops killed in Mong Kung clash

Twelve Myanmar Army troops and one Restoration Council of Shan State soldier have been killed in this week’s armed clashes in Mong Kung Township, according to separate reports from the organization and an aligned media outlet on Friday. 

An undisclosed number of RCSS troops have been injured, according to a spokesperson for the group. Four days of fighting in Mong Kung have also forced hundreds of ethnic Shan to flee their villages, according to local sources.

The casualty figures were reported by both the RCSS and Tai Freedom, a local media organization under its control.

The RCSS also claimed to have seized some equipment from Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) units, including a drone and artillery shield.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sai Oo, a spokesperson from the RCSS, confirmed to The Irrawaddy on Friday that according to RCSS troops, there had been casualties on the Tatmadaw side.

“Our ground troops’ reports are not much different to [Tai Freedom’s] reports,” Lt-Col Sai Oo said.

He said one of his organization’s troops was killed and a number were wounded. The fighting began on July 9 and continued through Thursday, he said.

Tai Freedom serves as the RCSS’s information department. It has reported daily since July 9 on fighting between the Myanmar Army and RCSS in Mong Kung. It has published photos showing RCSS members with seized military equipment.

Source: The Irrawaddy