"The leader of a militia group has been killed in an apparently targeted attack on his house as fighting continues near Lashio in northern Shan State between members of the Northern Alliance and the Tatmadaw. U Win Maung, 61, the leader of the Mong Yan militia, and his wife, Daw Aye Mya, were killed in an attack on their home at Man Kaung, the main village of the Man Kaung Mong Yan village tract, about 32 kilometres (20 miles) east of Lashio, at about 8.30pm on August 20. The house was bombarded with grenades and M79 rocket launchers in the attack, which has terrified the 200 residents of the village. The attack in Lashio Township came three days after the three Northern Alliance members involved in the fighting issued a statement warning that any members of government security forces found in operational areas would be “duly taken care of for the sake of self defence”. Fighting has intensified across northern Shan State since August 15, when Northern Alliance forces launched simultaneous attacks at five locations along a major highway. The August 17 statement referred to the Tatmadaw but warned specifically that members of the Myanmar Police Force and uniformed members of paramilitary groups would be regarded as members of ancillary forces on active duty..."