Only 6 bodies have been recovered from the bombing of Kyaukme town in northern Shan State in recent days. Residents say the town has become less crowded. At around 6:30 p.m. on November 30, a military plane bombed the Inkyintaung neighborhood of Kyaukme town, causing a massive explosion that killed 10 people and injured about 20 others, according to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
The bodies of Nay Kyar, Daw Aye Maw, U Hla Htay, Nay Mae Mu, Nan Kham Aye, and Lone Htoo were recovered and buried the next day, the Nam Khon Shan Charitable Association (Kyaukme branch) said on Facebook.
So far, the bodies of 4 women and 2 men have been recovered, and residents say they are still searching for some bodies. “Some are missing,” the statement said. “We only found body parts,” said a Kyaukme-based social worker. Two bombs exploded near Inkyintaung Ward (8) in the north of the city. No armed groups were based in the area, said a Kyaukme resident.
“The bomb fell about 50 yards from the monastery gate below Inkyintaung Monastery. It fell in the middle of the road. There were no troops there,” he said. Some residents said that four of the 20 injured were in critical condition and some patients were taken to Lashio Hospital.
“There were no further reports of casualties. The injured are still receiving treatment,” the resident added. “More than 10 houses were damaged. All of them were uninhabitable. All of them were destroyed. The houses around (the bomb) collapsed, there is nothing to be found.” The TNLA said that about 25 houses in the vicinity of the explosion were damaged.
Kyaukme, a town with a Shan majority and a diverse ethnic group including Chinese, Palaung, and Gorkha, has been bombed since August 5 this year, when about two-thirds of its residents returned to the city, and the area was once again bustling with activity. The market and shops were open as usual in the morning, but by evening, there were almost no pedestrians.
“The market also closed around noon. Before, there were pedestrians until 7 p.m., but now there are not many people at 5 p.m. Everyone is scared,” said the resident. Some residents in Ward 8, where the bombing occurred, have moved to other places to sleep at night.
Currently, except for the CDMA coastal phone, all telephone lines are down, some businesses have been suspended due to power outages, and schools are still closed. “We are very unhappy with the lack of jobs and the high prices of goods. “(Import) goods are not coming in, so some businesses have had to stop working,” he added.
The military council has been fighting for more than a month to capture Kyaukme, a town on the Mandalay-Muse road, a key route for Myanmar-China border trade, and hundreds of residents have been killed in airstrikes and artillery shelling by the military council. TNLA spokesman Lwey Ye-koo did not respond to a request for comment on the latest situation in Kyaukme.
The military council lost all but three towns in northern Shan State during the “1027 Operation” by the TNLA-led coalition, as well as the towns of Mogok, Sint Ku, Thabeik Kyin, and Tagaung in Mandalay Region. Ten towns in Rakhine State and Paletwa in Chin State fell under the control of the Northern Alliance’s Arakan Army (AA). The military council’s air force then carried out a series of bombings, with Chinese support, to pressure northern groups and resistance forces.
The leader of the Northern Alliance, the Kokang Army (MNDAA), is also under house arrest in China. In response, the TNLA said on November 25 that it was ready to hold peace talks to ensure the safety of its people. However, the military council has not responded to the talks and has continued to carry out airstrikes. In November this year, the TNLA said on December 2 that airstrikes in northern Shan areas under its control killed 38 civilians, injured 70, and damaged about 130 houses.
Airstrikes in Naungcho township killed 16 residents, injured 25, and destroyed 57 homes and 8 cars in a month. In Mogok township, airstrikes killed 9 residents, injured 13 people, including a child, and destroyed 10 homes. Similarly, in Mong Ngaw township, five residents were injured and 22 homes were destroyed.
In Kutkai, 3 locals were killed, 7 including a child were injured, and 16 houses were damaged. In Kyaukme, 10 locals were killed, 20 were injured, and 25 houses were destroyed. Since October last year, during Operation 1027, the TNLA has captured Kutkai, Namtu, Nam Kham, Nam San, Man Tong, Mai Ngawh, Mai Lon, Moe Meik, Kyaukme, Naung Cho, Thibaw, and Mogok in Mandalay Region.
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