Yawdserk INVADES Northern Shan Stat

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Subject: Yawdserk INVADES Northern Shan State: 

29 June 1999

Yawdserk INVADES Northern Shan State

Reliable sources both from the border and the north report that the Shan
States
Army led by Yawdserk has since early June been penetrating Northern Shan
State.


The Surhkhanfah Column, about 900 strong, commanded by Ltc. Moungzuen,
Yawdserk's second-in-command, began crossing the Maenam Lawng, that divides
Southern Shan State from the North and entered Lashio District beginning the
first week of June. 

Their purpose seems to be to occupy the areas under SPDC-sponsored
Anti-Insurgency Militia units led by ex-MTA commanders, Bo Mon and Ma Kuo-wen.
According to some ceasefire sources, Yawdserk had vowed to reach the Chinese
border in the Mao Valley. 

"As a result of the forced relocations during the last three years, the
southern areas are depleted", said another source. "That may be one of the
reasons for the penetration into the north where there has been no war since
Khun Sa's surrender in 1996". 

On 21-22 June, Maj-Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo, Commander of the Northern Command
traveled to Wanpong to meet Col. Parngfah, Chief of Staff of the Shan States
Army North and Commander of the 1st Brigade, and persuade the ceasefire groups
to prevent Yawdserk from crossing their areas into the North. Their minimum
demand was that the SSA-N did not lend assistance to Yawdserk. 

On 24 June, SPDC's battalions, IB 68 and IB 71, fired at each other by mistake
in Mawha area. "There were some casualties on both sides", said the source.
"But the exact numbers of the dead and wounded are not known". 

People, according to the source, are worried that Yawdserk and Parngfah might
be fighting each other instead of fighting against the SPDC. "Shans fighting
against Shans- we don't want it any more", said the source. 

N.B.    The Shan State Army a.k.a the Shan States Army North together with the
Shan State National Army a.k.a Shan States Army Central have ceasefire
agreements with the SPDC. The Shan States Army South of Yawdserk, however, has
been denied a truce by the junta.

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