Gov't troops clash with ceasefired armed group in Myanmar's Shan state

The Myanmar government troops have clashed with an armed group in southern Shan state over the last two days, which was accused of trepassing into a government restricted area, Myanmar News Agency reported Sunday.

The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) or Shan State Army (SSA) is one of the eight signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) signed with the government in October last year.

While conducting clearance operation in the east of Mongpying village in Hopon town, the government troops engaged with about 30 members of the RCSS/SSA on Friday with some injuries.

The military said it will raise the issue with the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee against the ceasefired armed group, according to the report.

Eight armed groups including the RCSS/SSA signed the NCA with the government on Oct. 15, 2015.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar government is preparing to hold national-level political dialogues with armed groups in December or January with regional dialogues to be launched first in Kayin state, Tanintharyi region and Nay Pyi Taw Councils which are deemed to be ready to host the dialogues.

The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) said they are working with the Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberated Area (KNLA) and the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) for the dialogues.

The outcome of the dialogues will be submitted to the Second Panglong Peace Conference in February 2017 under the NCA. Endit