Myanmar Military Launches Airstrikes Against Ethnic Armed Group in Kachin State

By The Irrawaddy 15 April 2021

Two jet fighters from Myanmar’s military carried out airstrikes on Kachin State’s Momauk Township on Wednesday afternoon, forcing local residents to hide in bomb shelters. The bombing attack came as fighting between the military regime and ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has intensified in recent days.

Residents of a number of villages including Myohaung and Myothit villages in Konglaw village-tract had to take cover in bomb shelters after the military started bombing around 4.30 pm on Wednesday in Momauk Township.

“They [the military] are now firing with two fighters near the communications tower. It is the place the KIA raided a few days ago. The military will attack at night. We haven’t been able to sleep well for nights. I hope they don’t open fire on villages,” a resident of Myothit village told The Irrawaddy from inside a bomb shelter, on Wednesday.

A resident of Sihike village said, “They are attacking now. They have attacked with planes four times, dropping 12 bombs. We are still in the bomb shelters and we don’t know about casualties. A bomb fell near the village monastery”.

Myanmar’s military and the KIA have been clashing since Sunday in Momauk, after the KIA raided and occupied a police station and a military outpost near Myohaung and Myothit villages.

Three civilians were killed as artillery shells fired by Myanmar’s military landed in Myohaung, Myothit and Sihike villages.

The military is also conducting airstrikes on Alaw Bum base near the Chinese border in Momauk Township, which the KIA captured from the military on March 25. Myanmar’s military suffered heavy casualties on Tuesday in its attempts to retake control of the base.

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