Lashio residents continue to flee the ongoing fighting, with reports indicating that ticket fares to Taunggyi have soared to over 500,000 kyats, as recounted by some of those from Lashio.

Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) has been going on near Lashio since early July.

"Many are leaving now. The locals fled from town daily. Ticket fares are at least 500,000 kyats each. For those who don't have money, there is nowhere to run away from. They have to stay in the city," said a resident of Lashio.

The express ticket fee to Taunggyi is at least 500,000 kyats for each. The express ticket fee is said to be at least one million kyats if they went to go to other places.

"The fare is different. Some asked more than 500,000 kyats and some have to pay 600,000 or 700,000 kyats. In the past, there were only tens of thousands kyats per ticket," said another Lashio resident.

A charity worker in Lashio said that some of the people who could not leave Lashio because they could not afford the money were also killed due to artillery attacks.

"We also had to help those who wanted to escape in the past. Some of them were killed because they could not leave the city. It is a lot," said a Lashio resident.

According to residents, at least 10 people were killed when homemade rockets exploded in some areas of Lashio in early June.

Locals have been moving to other areas since three days ago due to fighting near Lashio city.

Locals of Lashio said that the white flag was being put up in vehicles to go to other places.

As many locals leave Lashio for other cities, thousands of vehicles are waiting to cross the river by raft at Sink-In Pier on the Lashio-Mandalay Union Highway.

Under the pretext of fighting online fraud, the MNDAA and TNLA are carrying out territorial expansion attacks, according to State Administration Council (SAC) spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun.

"On July 3, the MNDAA and its allies began to attack the area around Lashio city using homemade rockets, drones and drop bombs daily," Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said.

In addition, the TNLA attacked Namhkam, Hsenwi and Kutkai at the same time, and they attacked nearby areas of Hsenwi, Kunlong and Laukkai. The TNLA also attacked around Mantong area on December 22, and TNLA and its allies also attacked Namtu area and Namtu town, said Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun.