Intense clashes continued to be reported across northern Shan State on Wednesday as ethnic armed organizations and other resistance groups attacked more regime bases as part of Operation 1027.
The Myanmar junta responded to the resistance attacks with heavy aerial bombardments.
As part of the operation, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) attacked the Mine Kyat military outpost in Lashio Township on Tuesday. During the clash, a regime fighter jet conducted eight air strikes to protect the base.
On Wednesday morning, a Chinese-made Y-12 military transport plane dropped at least 45 bombs on the area around the Mine Kyat base, the TNLA said.
However, details of casualties were not available for either side.
The TNLA said it also clashed with regime forces at the Kyin Thi bridge in Hsipaw Township on Wednesday morning.
Later in the morning it attacked the Sakham Thit Kone junta base outside Namkham town.
Citing residents, local media reported that a drone accidentally dropped a bomb on the compound of the Zeya Mingalar Monastery in Out Nant Hual Village in Muse Township on Wednesday morning, injuring a Buddhist novice and damaging vehicles and monastery buildings.
It is unknown whether the drone was operated by junta or resistance forces.
The TNLA accused junta forces of shelling the monastery.
In a separate development in Operation 1027 on Wednesday, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) said it and allied resistance groups seized two more junta positions in the Kokang area in northern Shan.
The tripartite Brotherhood Alliance of the MNDAA, TNLA and Rakhine State’s Arakan Army (AA) launched the operation on Oct. 27, attacking regime targets and bases across northern Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states and upper Sagaing and Mandalay regions.
Several resistance groups including People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) under the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) and other ethnic armed groups are coordinating with the operation.
Meanwhile, many other resistance groups are also conducting anti-regime operations in Chin and Kayah states and elsewhere in the country to show their support for Operation 1027.
Due to the escalation in fighting, more than 286,000 people have been newly displaced between Oct. 26 and Wednesday, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Of these, around 40,000 are from northern Shan State. They are sheltering in the Wa Self-Administered Zone, U Nyi Rang, the liaison officer of the United Wa State Party (UWSP), wrote on his Facebook page.
