On 14 March 2025, in Ohn Ma Thee village (Nawnghkio township, Kyaukme district, Shan-North state), fighting broke out between the Myanmar military and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA). A member of TNLA claimed that during the armed clash, the military conducted airstrikes and dropped poison gas bombs. Casualties unknown.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing: Armed Conflict in Shan State, Myanmar

1) Summary On March 14, 2025, armed clashes occurred between government forces and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in the Nawnghkio area of northern Shan State, Myanmar. The TNLA claims that government forces used poison gas bombs alongside airstrikes, but the exact scale of damage remains unconfirmed. This is assessed as a medium-level risk event demonstrating the continued escalation of Myanmar's civil war.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Agricultural supply chain risks: Shan State is a major agricultural region in Myanmar, with expected disruptions to rice, tea, and legume production, and potential destabilization of regional agricultural export routes
• Overland logistics network vulnerabilities: Shan State is a key transit area for China-Myanmar overland trade routes, with increased risk of delays in bilateral overland logistics if conflicts persist
• Rare earth mineral mining risks: Potential suspension of mineral resource extraction activities in northern Shan State due to armed conflicts, particularly concerns about impacts on Chinese companies' investment projects
• Border trade disruptions: Cross-border trade activities with neighboring Yunnan Province, China, may be temporarily suspended for security reasons or require alternative routes

3) Watch points

• Conflict escalation: Whether clashes between TNLA and government forces spread to other areas within Shan State, particularly changes in situations near major transportation infrastructure or border checkpoints
• Chinese response and border control reinforcement: Whether Chinese authorities announce border area security reinforcement measures or trade restrictions, and the need to track actual impacts on bilateral logistics flows