[Tee tiong huat]

Myanmar’s military junta has confirmed in a statement troops opened fire on a Chinese Red Cross convoy on Tuesday as it was en route to assist victims of earthquake that struck Sagaing & Mandalay regions last Friday. Incident occurred at around 9:30pm as convoy, of 9-vehicles, was traveling in northern Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township, the statement by junta spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said. The location of the attack was near Ohn Ma Thee, a village located around 10 miles southwest of town of Nawnghkio, currently under control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group operating in the region.

Area is an active conflict zone, junta warplanes reportedly bombed two nearby villages Monday, injuring five local civilians. According to Zaw Min Tun, military opened fire on the convoy from a distance of about 100-200 meters as vehicles attempted to pass through a security checkpoint. “We attempted to stop convoy, but they refused to stop. After, we fired warning shots from about 100 meters away, & we understand they fled back toward Nawnghkio,” junta spokesperson said in the statement.