"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..."