The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) will be opening its latest liaison office on 5 March, according to RCSS/SSA sources.

The new office will be in Mongpan, just west of the Salween, on the Mongnai-Mongton Road. A Maj Ken Mong has been appointed as the liaison officer.

Brig Gen Sai Lu, Chief Liaison Offices, will be there to preside over the ceremony for the RCSS/SSA side. It is not known who will represent the Burma Army’s side.

Mongpan is the headquarters of the Burma Army’s Military Operations Command (MOC) #17 and also come under the Central Eastern Region Command based in Kholam, Namzang township.

Since its ceasefire agreement with Naypyitaw on 2 December 2011, the RCSS/SSA has established 6 liaison offices. The 5 others are in Taunggyi (Eastern Region Command), Kholam (Central Eastern Region Command), Keng Tung (Triangle Region Command), Tachilek (Eastern Shan State) and Monghsat (Eastern Shan State).

It has also requested that another liaison office be permitted to open in Kyaukme, where frequent clashes have taken place despite the ceasefire.

“We hope it will serve to prevent further unwanted clashes,” said Sao Yawd Serk, the RCSS/SSA leader.

According to the 4year report submitted at the RCSS/SSA conference on 13 February, the two sides have fought 323 times, from November 2009 to October 2013.