An artillery attack by the military junta on Tha Yet Cho village in Nawnghkio Township, Shan State, killed four civilians, including a five-year-old child, and injured seven others, according to a statement released by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
Despite the declared ceasefire, the junta launched an offensive near Tha Yet Cho village on 8 May, around 12 p.m., leading to intense clashes with the TNLA.
Afterwards, the junta’s Artillery Operations Command 902 reportedly fired reportedly fired 16 artillery rounds of artillery at the village and also deployed two drones.
A local source in Nawnghkio said: “Tha Yet Cho is a Dhanu ethnic village. Lately, fighting has been frequent in the Nawng Len area, where phone connections are also down. Two weeks ago, people from Tha Yet Cho visited Ohn Ma Thee. There was no fighting then. It’s only in recent days that clashes have erupted in Tha Yet Cho. The fighting is now more intense around Nawng Len and Kan Gyi.”
Furthermore, on the afternoon of 8 May, junta troops and the TNLA also clashed in Yar Pyin village, with the junta launching two drone bombs and firing artillery twice, according to the TNLA statement.
Similarly, intense fighting broke out in Nawng Len village at 6 p.m. on 8 May. The military junta, operating from Thea Khaw village, used a drone to drop a chemical bomb on Ohn Ma Thee village, as detailed in the TNLA’s statement.
“Almost every day, they attack with artillery and drone bombs without pause. They also attack with airstrikes and chemical bombs. The fighting calms briefly, then flares up again. They keep launching offensives again and again,” said a man from Nawnghkio.
Despite its extension of the temporary ceasefire from 8 to 13 May, the military council has continued aggressive offensives in TNLA-controlled Nawnghkio Township, attacking daily with artillery and drones, sources report.
Therefore, the TNLA has issued a statement advising people in Nawnghkio Township to remain vigilant and follow air defense measures to avoid bombing by the military junta.
Sent by Shan News.
