Two civilians were killed and five others injured in drone bomb attacks by a joint force of Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Banmauk town in Sagaing Region on 15 and 17 December, according to local sources.
On the evening of 17 December, drone bombs from the joint force struck a market stall in Hlwa Zin Gone ward, Banmauk. The shrapnel hit a teenage girl in the head, causing fatal injuries, while a man was also injured, according to local sources.
A town elder from Banmauk said, “The teenager was an eighth-grade female student, and she was set to take her exam the following day. The bomb struck her head while she was looking at it near the market.”
The injured individual is Maung Aung Myo Htet, a 13-year-old, who sustained an injury to his right neck.
At around 11 a.m. on 15 December, a family member of the deceased reported that, after receiving information about the arrival of the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) in Naung Melong village near Banmauk, a drone attack by the joint force of the KIA and PDF killed one resident and injured four others.
The wife of the deceased said, “All five of them are from Naung Melong village. The drones came while Thein Aung, Maung Po, Than Yu, Aye Soe, and U Kyaw were chatting. They were watching the drones flying in the sky when the attack occurred.”
The one killed is Aye Soe from Naung Melong village. Family members said that both legs were hit by a drone bomb and he bled to death. The remaining four individuals sustained shrapnel injuries to their legs, backs, and abdomens. They are currently receiving treatment at Banmauk People’s Hospital.
The members of the joint force informed locals in their controlled areas about the attacks on Naung Melong village and Hla Zin Gone market. However, the joint force has not issued an official statement regarding the deaths.
The joint force has controlled the area near Lay Thi village in the northern part of Banmauk Township for over a year. During this time, they have been conducting frequent drone attacks on the junta’s strategic hilltop camp in Banmauk.
Sent by Shanni Voice
