Five civilians were killed and eight were injured when junta aircraft bombed Nam Pong (Nampawng) Village in Lashio Township, northern Shan State on 13 September 2024.

The junta aircraft bombed Nam Pong Village, which is controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), at around 7:00 pm on 13 September. The attack killed five civilians, injured a further eight and destroyed several houses.

A local witness said: “The bombing attack began on the evening of 13 September, around sunset. Several houses in Nam Pong’s predominantly Christian area were severely damaged. Five people were killed, and eight injured have been taken to the hospital. Then, on 14 September, two fighter jets dropped four more bombs on Nam Pong, destroying more houses and shops.”

The 14 September bombing took place around noon, with bombs falling in Nam Pong’s Than Lan and Tha Pyay Yay areas, he added.

It was the third airstrike on the Nam Pong Village in five days. Previously, on 10 September, a junta airstrike hit Namma coal mine near Nam Pong Village.

The junta also carried out two consecutive days of airstrikes on the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) held Naungcho (Nawnghkio) Township in northern Shan State on 13 and 14 September 2024.

On 13 September a junta airstrike dropped 13 bombs and fired missiles close to Naungcho Police Station on 13 September, according to the TNLA and witnesses.

On 14 September, junta jets dropped two 500-pound bombs on Thapyay Ward in downtown Naungcho, one of which exploded while the other failed to detonate, according to the TNLA. A woman was injured in the attack and some residential buildings were damaged.

Despite severe flooding affecting parts of Myanmar, including some areas of Shan State, the junta has greatly increased the number of airstrikes it has carried out over the past two weeks, targeting territories controlled by the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which includes the TNLA and MNDAA. This has resulted in an increase in civilian casualties.