Nine civilians killed by junta airstrike in Momeik District

Nine civilians, including internally displaced people (IDPs), were killed and three others injured when the junta launched an airstrike on a village in Momeik (Mongmit) District, northern Shan State.

Myitson Village, situated roughly halfway between Momeik and Mabein towns in Momeik District, was hit by three bombing runs carried out by junta aircraft at around 9:00 am on December 6, according to a resident of the village.

“The bombs struck a bridge near Myitson Village. Nine people were killed, including some IDPs. We still don’t know the identities of the victims. The aircraft made three bombing runs,” he told KNG.

It has been confirmed that the 12 casualties, both those killed and those injured, included men, women, and children of various ages, though the exact breakdown is still unknown. Three houses were also destroyed in the junta’s airstrike.

After the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) withdrew from Momeik under a ceasefire agreement and junta troops subsequently reoccupied positions in the town, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) began conducting joint combat operations and military preparations in areas surrounding the town.