At least 18 civilians killed by airstrike on funeral in southern Kachin State

At least 18 civilians were killed and more than 20 others were injured by an airstrike carried out by the Myanmar Air Force at a funeral ceremony in Bhamo Township, southern Kachin State, on Thursday, according to residents and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

Two bombs were dropped on Htilin Kawngja village, located west of Bhamo town, where mourners were gathered for a funeral, sources told DVB. It is located 118 miles (190 km) south of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina and 56 miles (90 km) southwest of the KIA headquarters Laiza.

Naw Bu, the KIA spokesperson, told DVB that the military targets civilian infrastructure, including schools and places of worship. “This is why the public must always listen carefully to air raid warnings and avoid crowds,” he added.

Bhamo has seen renewed fighting since Jan. 13 when the KIA resumed clashes with regime forces after a two-week pause since Dec. 31. Fighting over control of Bhamo has been ongoing since Dec. 4, 2024.

The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) has scheduled its third and final round of voting in Kachin’s Bhamo, Mansi, Momauk, Hpakant, and Shwegu townships on Jan. 25. The UEC previously held voting in nine Kachin townships, including Myitkyina, Mohnyin, Putao, Naungmon, Khaunglanhpu, Tanai, Machanbaw, Mogaung, and Waingmaw, on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11.

The UEC is unable to hold polls in Sumprabum, Injangyang, Chipwi, and Tsawlaw townships, which were seized by the KIA during its statewide offensive launched on March 7, 2024. Kachin State has a total of 18 townships.

Several areas, including Bhamo, Hpakant — a major jade mining hub — and Waingmaw Township, remain contested between KIA and regime forces.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project has documented up to 90,000 people killed nationwide since the 2021 coup, amid escalating airstrikes, artillery attacks, and ground combat.

A U.N. report released in December states that nearly 3.6 million people have fled their homes in Myanmar and are now listed as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), which is a dramatic increase from the 300,000 prior to the 2021 military coup.

The number of IDPs is projected to reach four million this year, according to the U.N.