In Shan State’s Kyaukme town, escalating clashes between the Junta and the Ta’ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA) are resulting in increased artillery shelling, which is killing entire families.

On June 29, around 9:00 AM, an artillery shell unleashed by the Junta troops struck a house in front of Basic Education High School No. 1 (BEHS-1) in Kyaukme’s No. 8 ward. Nang Khin Phone and her daughter, Nang Mway Lin San, who were inside the house, died instantly.

“An artillery shell struck the house near the entrance of the school, killing the mother and daughter who lived there on the spot. The daughter was a healthcare worker. Both sides involved in the current clashes have not seriously considered the potential impact on civilians and have not shown restraint. We want to appeal to both sides not to treat the people as military targets”, a Kyaukme resident said.

On June 25, around 5:00 PM, an artillery round hit the yard of a house in Oakkyin ward, Kyaukme. The incident resulted in the immediate deaths of three women, one three-year-old child, and two men who were in the yard, with five others seriously injured.

On June 26, an artillery shell struck a house in Yankin ward, Kyaukme, resulting in the deaths of all four members of one family and a father and son from a neighboring family.

“Entire families have been killed by artillery rounds and mortar shells hitting houses in the town. Almost every night around midnight, Junta aircraft conduct bombing runs. Residents live in constant fear of losing their lives to artillery shells, even while staying inside their own homes. Many people remain trapped in the town due to ongoing clashes”, the aforementioned source added.

On June 28, another artillery shell struck Koong Mon village near Ward No. 8, destroying two houses and resulting in the death of a local man named U Sai Maw.

Heavy fighting between the Junta and TNLA began in Nawngping-Gotetwin, between Kyaukme and Nawnghkio, around noon on June 29. Kyaukme residents are concerned that there may be civilian casualties due to Junta aircraft bombing the area around 8:00 PM.

In a week since TNLA launched its offensive to capture Kyaukme, there have been numerous civilian casualties due to Junta airstrikes and shelling. As of June 30, the number of civilian deaths has risen to at least 30, local social relief groups reported.

Intense clashes are ongoing as TNLA continues to attack the remaining units of the Junta troops based in Kyaukme, specifically targeting No. 1 Military Operations Command (MOC-1), and the 501st and 502nd Light Infantry Battalions.

Many Kyaukme locals have fled to monasteries and relatives’ homes in Nar Peng, Nawngpinglay, Hkoong, Hkomone, Hekwi, Poong Woe, and Nawngping villages to take refuge, and emergency aid is urgently required for around 5000 war-displaced individuals.