Introduction
The military council’s airstrike in Thabeikkyin Township evoke the memories of tragic Pazigyi incident, where hundreds of civilians lost their lives. As the saying goes, “Burn your house to fright the mouse away”. In response to its heavy losses against the armed resistance forces, the military has resorted to indiscriminate airstrikes, targeting unarmed civilians.
Despite the “ceasefire” declared in response to the powerful earthquake, the regime’s aerial bombings have continued without pause. The junta’s airstrikes continue to pose a significant threat to civilians.
This week, Burma News International-Myanmar Peace Monitor’s Bi-Weekly News Review focus on the airstrike in Thabeikkyin Township and the airstrikes during the junta’s deceptive ceasefire period.
Airstrike incident in Yae Htwet village in Thabeikkyin
Specifically, following a meeting on the evening of 17 April between the military leader and the rotating ASEAN chair, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the military junta conducted an airstrike at around 10 am on the morning of 18 April 2025, targeting Leik Kya Village in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region. The attack involved dropping 300-pound bombs from the air, resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians. On the morning of 16 April, the junta had also conducted an aerial bombing of Leik Kya village.
At around 1:00 pm on 19 April, the military council also carried out an airstrike on Yae Htwet village in Thabeikkyin Township, despite no ongoing clashes in the area. In this incident, bombs struck the site of a fuel station in the village, killing 24 civilians, including a 2-year-old child, and injuring many others.
During these two consecutive days of airstrikes, a total of 37 civilians, including women and children, were killed. Some of the injured are in critical condition, while others remain missing. 1
On 25 August 2024, resistance forces successfully took full control of most villages in Thabeikkyin Town and surrounding villages in the township. Since then, the National Unity Government (NUG) has been operating its administrative mechanisms in the region. However, since early March 2024, the military council’s airstrikes have continued unabated. These attacks have consistently targeted local civilians in Thabeikkyin Township, as well as other areas under the control of resistance forces, including Singu and Mogok Townships.
Deceptive ceasefire declaration and continued aerial threats
Citing a powerful earthquake, the junta declared a temporary ceasefire from 2 to 22 April 2025. However, the continued daily airstrikes during this period make clear that the announcement was nothing but a blatant deception. Therefore, even during the second ceasefire period from 22 to 30 April 2025, the people of Myanmar must remain vigilant against the ongoing aerial threats posed by the military council.
According to BNI-MPM data, during the military council’s temporary ceasefire period from 2 to 22 April, 71 airstrike incidents occurred across 40 townships nationwide. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 118 local civilians.
An analysis of the military council’s airstrikes during the temporary ceasefire period reveals that, except for Yangon Region, airstrikes were carried out daily in all 13 other states and regions.
Mandalay and Sagaing Regions, which were the most severely affected by the powerful earthquake, have also become the primary targets of the military council’s intensified airstrikes.
The townships most heavily targeted by airstrikes include those under the control of resistance forces: Singu and Thabeikkyin Townships in Mandalay Region; Nawnghkio Township in Shan State; Indaw Township in Kachin State; Laymyetnar Township in Ayeyarwady Region, where fighting is particularly intense; Kyaukphyu Township in Arakan State; and Kawkareik and Hpapun Townships in Karen State. 2
According to BNI–MPM data, which has been monitoring the situation throughout the military coup, the junta’s airstrikes have been recorded since March 2021.
As the Spring Revolution — aimed at ending military dictatorship and establishing a federal democratic union — gained momentum through armed resistance, the military junta’s airstrikes became increasingly frequent, especially during periods when it began losing control of military bases and suffering heavy casualties.
Following the launch of “Operation 1027” on 27 October 2023, the military junta’s ground forces suffered severe losses and widespread collapse, compelling the regime to increasingly rely on aerial bombings as its primary method of attack, as evidenced by available data. Simultaneously, the junta enforced the “Military Service Law” in an effort to replenish its weakened ground forces, forcibly conscripting young people into military service. Despite these efforts, the regime continues to struggle against the growing strength and momentum of resistance forces, whose defensive and offensive operations have steadily intensified.
Having lost control of 96 towns and hundreds of military bases to resistance forces, the military junta has increasingly relied on aerial assaults. As of 22 April 2025, the junta has carried out 2,096 airstrike events since the coup, resulting in the deaths of up to 2,149 civilians. 3
Therefore, the ceasefire declaration made by the military junta — whose ground forces are collapsing and in disarray — is nothing more than a public relations statement. Halting the military junta’s ongoing aerial attacks, which pose daily threats to the lives and property of the people, has become a matter that demands more serious consideration.
Review
The confession by Major General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the military council, regarding the airstrike on Pazigyi village in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region—which claimed the lives of over 160 civilians, including women and children—makes one thing unmistakably clear: the junta will not hesitate to ruthlessly destroy civilian lives, livelihoods, and property across Myanmar in pursuit of its coup’s success.
The military junta regards all civilians in areas controlled by resistance forces as collaborators and supporters of the revolution. In response to the deaths of civilians in aerial attacks, Major General Zaw Min Tun has stated, “If there are attacks, there will inevitably be collateral damage.” 4
On 26 April 2025, the Karen National Union (KNU) issued a statement, condemning the military junta’s ceasefire announcement from 2 to 22 April as a deceptive move, describing it as “selling dog meat by hanging a goat’s head.” During the ceasefire period, even in the Kawthoolei area controlled by the KNU, the military junta continued its violations, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, arson attacks on civilian homes, arbitrary arrests of civilians, and other human rights violations, with a total of no fewer than 110 such incidents. 5
For ASEAN’s rotating chair, international governments, and organizations striving to restore normalcy in Myanmar, merely welcoming the junta’s ceasefire declaration is insufficient. Close monitoring of their subsequent actions is essential to avoid being deceived by the junta’s falsehoods. Special attention must be given to halting the junta’s ongoing aerial attacks, which continue to pose a grave threat to the entire population of Myanmar.
1 The death toll from the Yae Htwet village airstrike rises to 24, including children, People’s Spring, 20 April 2025.
2 Military Junta’s Airstrikes in Myanmar, BNI-MPM’s Dataset, 2 – 22 April 2025
3 Military Junta’s Airstrikes in Myanmar, BNI-MPM’s Dataset, 1 Feb 2021 – 22 April 2025
4 Myanmar military government defends rule minutes before deadly quake hits, Al Jazeera, 13 April 2025
5 “Selling dog meat by hanging a goat’s head”− the junta’s deceptive ceasefire announcement, KNU, 26 April 2025