March 14, 2017

"Almost two years after a surge in violence in Myanmar’s restive Kokang region prompted 50,000 locals to flee across the border into China, and led the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) to fire shells into China’s Yunnan province, a fresh resurgence in violence has prompted over 20,000 locals from Laukkai, the capital of Kokang, to flee into China, with a separate group of over 2,000 internally displaced refugees arriving in Mandalay after fleeing to the neighboring town of Lashio. There have also been reports of Myanmar troops firing shells across the border into China, causing at least one Chinese fatality (Lim, 2015; Nan, 2017; Qiao, 2017; Kan and Wai, 2017).

The current violence was close enough to the border for Chinese residents across the border in Yunnan to hear 'heavy gunfire,' feel 'tremors during the night and … see bright flames' (Wang, 2017). These residents have also worked with their local government officials to deliver humanitarian aid to the Myanmar refugees:"

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