49 civilians killed, 67 injured by regime in northern Shan since breakdown of truce: TNLA

By Admin 08 Jul 2024

DMG Newsroom
8 July 2024, Lashio, northern Shan State

Forty-nine civilians were killed and 67 others were injured due to regime airstrikes and artillery attacks in northern Shan State in less than two weeks from June 25 to July 7, since the breakdown of a China-brokered truce, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) said in a statement on July 8.

Two people were killed and four others were injured after an artillery shell fired by the military landed and exploded in Ballone Village, part of Mogok Township in Mandalay Region, on July 7.

A junta artillery strike on Lelgyi Village, part of northern Shan State’s Momeik Township, wounded three local residents, according to the TNLA statement.

One civilian was killed and three others were injured in a junta artillery assault on Ward-5 in Lashio on July 6 and two civilians from Namtnuam Village in Lashio Township were killed by stray bullets on July 5, the TNLA statement added.

The regime, which is facing defeat after military defeat across the country, stands accused of committing war crimes by deliberately attacking civilians.

“The regime suffers losses militarily and targets civilians as it cannot defeat the ethnic armed groups and resistance forces. The regime commits war crimes by targeting civilians,” said one politician.

The TNLA said renewed fighting broke out in northern Shan State on June 25, marking a restart of the anti-regime “Operation 1027” after the China-brokered Haigen Agreement signed between the regime and the Three Brotherhood Alliance was violated by the regime. The alliance consists of the TNLA, Arakkha Army (AA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

The TNLA and allied forces have seized at least 40 junta camps during the latest hostilities, and fighting between the resistance forces and Myanmar’s military regime is escalating in Shan State’s Nawnghkio, Momeik, Hsipaw and Lashio townships.