A gas explosion in the remote Wa Region has killed 16 people and injured dozens. A video circulated on social media appeared to show emergency workers sifting through debris in Mongmao. The city is part of the Wa Self-Administered Division in Shan State, close to the border with China. The area is under the control of the United Wa State Army (UWSA). It is estimated to have about 30,000 troops. “Sixteen people were killed and 48 others injured in a gas explosion accident,” Nyi Rang, UWSA spokesperson wrote on his Facebook page. It’s incredibly rare for outsiders to be able to visit the region. In April, the UWSA will welcome outsiders to commemorate a 30-year anniversary since it signed a ceasefire agreement. Although the UWSA is not one of the signatories to the government’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), an earlier ceasefire the UWSA signed with the military has generally held strong, although the group is believed to have strong links to China.
