The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) were attacked by five airships in Mongmit Township, also called Momeik, in northern Shan State last Wednesday, 7 December.

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The airstrikes on Moe Lo Mountain were possibly in retaliation for losses suffered by regime forces in that area during three days of fighting last month. A Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) officer, who requested anonymity, told SHAN, that over 80 soldiers were slain in the fighting and many wounded and airlifted to Mongmit Public Hospital. About 20 KIA and PDF fighters also died on the mountain.

During last week’s attack, two airships dumped at least five bombs near the village of Moe Lo. Shelling damaged houses, but at the time of publication SHAN couldn’t independently confirm these figures. The SSPP officer, whose group is allied with the KIA, expects fighting in the area to escalate after the regime sent new troops, weapons and food rations to the Light Infantry Battalion 348 camp in Mongmit town.

On the same day as the airstrikes in the township, regime forces shelled the Ta’ang National Liberation Army’s camp in Namhsan Township with airships and jet fighters. Observers suspect that the regime is exploiting last month’s informal ceasefire with the Arakan Army in Rakhine State to launch offensives on the armed groups in northern Shan State.