Myanmar army opens fire on Chinese Red Cross convoy

Myanmar’s military junta has confirmed in a statement that its troops opened fire on a Chinese Red Cross aid convoy as it was en route to assist victims of the earthquake that struck Sagaing and Mandalay regions on March 28.

The incident occurred at around 9:30 pm as the convoy, consisting of nine vehicles, was traveling in northern Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township, the statement by junta spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The location of the attack was near Ohn Ma Thee, a village located around 10 miles southwest of the town of Nawnghkio, which is currently under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group operating in the region.

The area is an active conflict zone, where junta warplanes reportedly bombed two nearby villages on April , injuring five local civilians.

According to Zaw Min Tun, the military opened fire on the convoy from a distance of about 100-200 meters as the vehicles attempted to pass through a security checkpoint.

“We attempted to stop the convoy, but they refused to stop. After that, we fired warning shots from about 100 meters away, and we understand they fled back toward Nawnghkio,” the junta spokesperson said in the statement.

He further added that the convoy was using trucks with Myanmar license plates and did not have prior approval for the trip from the military authorities. He noted that the junta would launch an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack. The Chinese Red Cross convoy was carrying essential aid supplies to assist with earthquake recovery efforts in Mandalay and other affected areas.

On the same day, members of the Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition of ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State, released a statement calling for a halt to the fighting after the devastating earthquake that has claimed the lives of over 3,000 people.

In response to the attack, the TNLA issued a statement on Telegram and other social media sites confirming the incident. The relief trucks headed back to Nawnghkio under the protection of the TNLA at around 9pm, the armed group’s press team stated.

By Khagan Isayev