Thousands of people have been displaced in the past month by ongoing clashes between the Shan State Army-North and government forces, with the Myanmar military launching air strikes targeting ethnic insurgents.
"We didn't dare stay as helicopters kept coming to attack," said a 41-year-old teacher, who escaped the area with 15 other people in her car.
"People were so frightened," she told AFP at a monastery in Lecha town -- some 100km (60 miles) from the fighting.
Last month, President Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government inked ceasefires with a clutch of ethnic armed groups, but several major conflicts persist in the war-torn nation.
The Shan State Army-North and the Kachin Independence Army both refrained from inking the deal and have been engaged in ongoing clashes with government forces for months.
As fighting continued in the run-up to November's landmark vote, authorities cancelled elections in seven national parliament constituencies -- all in Shan -- as well as suspending voting in swathes of northern Kachin state and Karen state in the east.
"I dare not to go back because we are so frightened. Helicopters are still flying around."
The Myanmar military launched an operation targeting Shan rebels on November 10, after insurgents attacked a police station and military outpost, leaving a number of soldiers dead and others injured, according to a government statement which gave no further details.
The Shan State Army-North said the military has since launched air strikes in the area.
More than 100,000 thousand people have been displaced across swathes of northern Myanmar since a ceasefire between Kachin rebels and the army collapsed in 2011.
You’ve reached your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories
Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app