Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation
February 4, 2025
SAC airstrikes kill 15 civilians, injure 32, including many hospital patients, in resistance-controlled Nawngkhio and Kyaukme towns
Between January 21 and 27, 2025, SAC airstrikes on Nawngkhio and Kyaukme towns killed 15 civilians and injured 32 others, including many patients at Kyaukme hospital where two 250-pound bombs were dropped. Nawngkhio and Kyaukme towns have been under resistance control since mid-2024.
On January 21, at 2:16 pm, a jet fighter dropped two 300-pound bombs on the administrative office of Nawngkhio town. The bombs killed a woman in her 60s, injured a 17-year-old girl and a man, and damaged the administrative office and police station. At 2:26 pm on the same day, SAC aircraft dropped a bomb on resistance-controlled Kongyi Ywarma village, 20 kilometers southwest of Nawngkhio town, which damaged two houses.
On January 22, at around 11:30 am, two jet fighters dropped two 500-pound bombs on Say Quarter of Nawngkhio town, damaging the Parami Tea Shop and two houses. The bombs killed nine people, including the tea-shop owner, serving staff, and some customers who were drinking tea – seven died immediately, and two died after being taken to hospital. Five other injured people had to be taken to hospital.
On January 25, at around 1:30 pm, SAC aircraft dropped two 250-pound bombs on the Kyaukme hospital, destroying the maternity building and killing three civilians — including two CDM nurses — and injuring at least 20 patients who had come for treatment at the hospital. Seriously injured patients were sent to Lashio and Mandalay hospitals for treatment.
On January 27, at 2:15 pm, a SAC aircraft dropped bombs on the Kyaukme city hall and Quarter 2 of Kyaukme town, destroying five houses. The bombs killed a man in his 40s, whose head was blown off, and injured two women, aged 40 and 18.
Earlier in January, SAC carried out airstrikes on other resistance-controlled areas of northern Shan State and northern Mandalay. On January 1st, at around 11 pm, SAC aircraft dropped bombs on Quarter 3 of Hsenwi town, damaging several houses. On January 8th, SAC aircraft dropped bombs on Mogoke town, damaging over 20 civilian houses.
Meanwhile, SAC troops have continued carrying out collective punishment of villagers in Nawngkhio township suspected of supporting the resistance. On January 25, SAC troops torched several houses in Oom Mark Dee village — on the Muse-Mandalay highway southwest of Nawngkhio town — which they had retaken control of in early December 2024. Altogether 20 houses have been torched by SAC troops in Oom Mark Dee in the past month, including houses torched on December 29 and January 19.
Contact:
Sai Hor Hseng 66 94 728 6696 Signal (Shan, English)
Ying Leng Harn 1 825 425 4099 Signal (Burmese)
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