2 aid worker carrying vehicles attacked by armed groups in Myanmar's northern state

Two vehicles carrying aid workers to care for displaced people have been attacked by a combined forces of three ethnic armed groups as the vehicles were heading for the 105th Mile Muse Border Trade Zone in Myanmar's northern Shan state, said the Information Committee of the State Counselor's Office Tuesday.

The three armed groups were identified as Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

In the attacks on Monday afternoon on the two vehicles, respectively owned by the Myittamon Philanthropic team and the Parami Civil Society, one aid worker was seriously injured.

The shooting with light firearms from an uphill position forced the vehicles to return to Muse hospital with the injured on board without proceeding.

On Monday, armed clashes continued in Muse with the combined force of three armed groups numbering over 100 attacking Phangsai police station with small and heavy weapons.

A wooden bridge on Namtu-Baw Thwin highway was blown, halting the traffic.

However, the Lashio-Muse road near the entrance of Nanaun village, 32 km south of Muse, which was blocked by some heavy trucks robbed by the armed groups since Sunday night, have been cleared and opened on Monday morning by the government forces, the information committee said.

Military conflicts have broken out in border area of northern Myanmar's Shan state early Sunday morning with the alliance of three ethnic armed groups launching simultaneous and surprise attacks on government's military outposts and police stations in Muse and Kutkai townships as well as a border trade center there.

The government claimed that a total of eight people including one soldier, three policemen, one people's militia and three civilians so far lost their lives and 29 others injured including nine policemen, two customs officers and 18 civilians.

Their attacks targeted government military outposts and police stations in areas of Muse, Kutkai, Monekoe, Kyukoke, Phangsai, Pangsang, Manken and Kyinsankyawk (Honang).

(APD)