18 August
According to news released by Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and Myanmar Police Force, AA/TNLA/MNDAA armed groups mined and destroyed bridges on Hsenwi-Kunlong Road, torched a petrol station on Lashio-Hsenwi Road, fired on Lashio with heavy arms and also fired on Tatmadaw columns and police stations.
During the night of 16 August, AA/TNLA/MNDAA armed groups fired three rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) on a battalion headquarter in Kyaukme, Shan State North and retreated to the west after being fired back.
The group also mined the reinforced concrete bridge (Byone Taung) on Namt Slup-Kunlong Road and the reinforced concrete Mantonsun Bridge on Hsenwi-Namt Slup Road around 3:30 am and 4:30 am cutting off the road communication.
Tatmadaw columns conducting security operations around Kutkai-Namtpatkha-Muse region also encountered with armed groups until yesterday morning.
Later in the afternoon, about 200 armed personnel approached from Kone Sar side northeast of Lashio to attack the town but were engaged but Tatmadaw columns forcing the armed group to retreat with heavy casualties.
Tatmadaw columns conducting security operations along Lashio-Hsenwi-Kutkhai (105) miles Union Road also came into contact with armed groups and had about ten armed engagements.
Security personnel near Namt On Village fired on a motorcycle with two suspicious persons who were driving toward Namtpatkha from Muse and captured a TNLA armed personnel with a RPG.
Around 9:30 am, armed groups fired on Tane Phyu Petrol Station near Pan Hat Village north of Lashio and houses in Lashio Town Ward 12 with heavy arms, leaving the petrol station burn down and some houses in Ward 12 were damaged.
In addition, a vehicle from a local philanthropic association from Lashio was attacked with heavy arms by the armed groups and a person was killed in the attack.
Tatmadaw was conducting mine clearance operation around Gote Twin Bridge sabotaged by AA/TNLA/MNDAA armed groups and found 33 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with 0.53 tons of C-4 explosives, 160 TNT blocks (80 lbs), 222 detonators, one RPG grenade, two hand grenades, one 40 mm round and two ENERGA rounds.
AA/TNLA/MNDAA armed groups were conducting these terror and destructive acts because Tatmadaw captured their drug making camps with drugs and drug making accessories in Kutkhai Township from July 25 to 28.
In the operation, the Tatmadaw troops also seized 9000 stimulant tablets, 750 kilos of ICE worth of over K16 billion, 2262 5-gallon acid containers, 356 10-gallon acid containers, 195 50-gallon acid containers, 478 acid tanks, 5280 bottles of acid, 90 bags of washing soda, 20 bags of charcoal, 1220 bags of sodium exodus, 50 bags of sodium sulphate, tents, 1,144 gas cylinders, 69 boilers, 95 steam boilers, six big generators, 30 refrigerators, seven freezers, 11 washing machines, 40 steel trays, 8 steel mixers, five pelleting machines, six scales, several steel trays and two vehicles.
In addition to this, security personnel caught about WY brand 250,000 ecstasy pills (worth about K 5 billion), 36 mines, 52 Walkie Talkies and mine making accessories in the home of Tagundaing Village chief administrator U San Thar Kyaw, an AA hard core person, in Yathedaung, Rakhine State, on 8 August.
As Tatmadaw detained and captured their drugs and drug making camps that were the main business activities of AA/TNLA/MNDAA greatly affecting their economy, TNLA group had nine armed engagements and MNDAA group had two armed engagements in August 2019.
Armed engagements with TNLA group were in Shan State (North) Kutkhai, Tarmoenye and Mawhan regions while armed engagements with MNDAA group was in Tarmoenye, Chinshwehaw region.
The armed engagements were in defence of their drug making camps as well as due to the intrusion of their forces beyond their areas and an attack on a Tatmadaw administrative convoy.
The attacks on narcotic inspection gate, inspection vehicle, bridge, Tatmadaw academy/headquarters in Pyin Oo Lwin Township and Nawnghkio Township were not an attack to ease military pressures of Tatmadaw but in response to Tatmadaw’s anti-drug operations, the losses it caused to them, to harass and destroy road transport and security. These activities show that they have no wish nor will to participate in the peace process conducted by the government, Tatmadaw, ethnic nationals and the people, according to press release issued by Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services. — MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)
