The Burma army has continued to carry out airstrikes in two townships of southern Shan State. From 4:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. on 5 May four fighter jets attacked civilian villages in parts of Pekon and Pinlaung Townships, according to local sources.

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The fighter jet strikes targeted Mobye town in Pekon Township, and multiple villages in Pinlaung Township. Local people reported that the fighter jets dropped two 500-pound bombs and numerous small bombs on civilian villages in the area.

“The jets attacked civilian villages from 4:30 a.m. until 8 a.m. on 5 May. One of the 500-pound bombs directly hit a civilian house in Tawng Salon village. The house was destroyed and nearby houses were damaged. Two people were seriously injured when the 500-pound bomb hit the ground,” the local man told SHAN.

Local people reported that the two injured men were PDF members. SHAN has not been able to independently verify this at the time of publication.

A local volunteer, who provides humanitarian assistance to IDPs in the area, said that the Burma army intentionally attacked civilian villages and IDP camps in the area between Shan State and Karenni State. The humanitarian volunteer said that IDPs are worried about their safety and have fled to hide in the jungle.

“Jets have flown over the area for the past two days. The jets attacked civilian villages today. The regime has been attacking civilian villages and IDP camps everyday. Many IDPs are afraid to sleep in the IDP camp. They go to hide in the jungle at night time. These IDPs have post-traumatic stress disorder. They are afraid of loud sounds,” the humanitarian volunteer told SHAN.

An officer with the Pa-O National Defense Force – Kham Kao (PNDF – KK) said that the Burma army now relies on using airstrikes to attack civilian resistance groups across the country after suffering many causalities during fierce battles over the two years since military coup.

“They use air force and artillery to attack civilian resistance groups because they have suffered many causalities during battles on the front line,” the officer told SHAN.

Nearly 6,000 local people from Tawng Mae Thinn, Tawng Salon, Myauk Salon, Lon Pin and Nam Neing villages have been displaced by recent airstrikes, artillery attacks and intense battles. These IDPs need humanitarian assistance including food rations and medicine.