Clashes broke out between ceasefire signatory the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) and the Myanmar military junta in Sam Hpu Village in Shan State’s Hopong Township on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the evening when military junta soldiers and members of the Pa-O National Organization/Army (PNO/PNA) ethnic armed group attempted to confiscate arms and ammunition from a five-vehicle PNLO convoy they had stopped and inspected in Sam Hpu.
The PNLO signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015 and has continued to participate in the military regime’s peace talks since the coup. Its leader Khun Okkar has also held talks with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw and had an honorary title bestowed upon him by the regime.
A PNLO source said the convoy was carrying weapons belonging to the ethnic armed group when the junta forces stopped it and tried to seized the arms.
He said the clash was not planned, but erupted spontaneously when the two sides confronted each other after the convoy was forced to stop, adding that it was not clear which side opened fire first.
He said the PNLO troops were carrying the arms and ammunition because they were returning from training “allies”, but declined to identify which group he was referring to.
Another source with the ethnic armed group said the PNLO fighters burned the arms and ammunition they were carrying after negotiations at the scene with the junta and PNA troops broke down.
Following the clashes, the junta briefly detained three PNLO officers over the matter. The detained officers were released Monday morning.
Military regime-controlled state-run newspapers claimed on Monday that military officers were able to negotiate a quick end to the clashes based on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), but the PNLO fighters torched the convoy and fled.
It was reported that as a consequence of the fire, the ammunition in the vehicles exploded, causing the fire to spread and burn down 27 houses in the village.
The junta said 504 small arms, 10 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, six “shock missiles” and some ammunition were destroyed in the fire.
The military junta claimed that some military soldiers and PNA troops were injured in the clash, but didn’t say whether there were any PNLO casualties.
PNLO patron Khun Okkar told RFA Burmese the incident would have no impact on his organization’s support for the NCA.
