Myanmar military aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs near a school and a monastery in Manli Village, Namtu Township, northern Shan State, early on June 12, despite no reported fighting in the area, raising fears that civilian sites are being deliberately targeted.

“There was no fighting, no troops here. We were lucky the bombs didn’t hit the buildings directly” a local resident told reporters. “The school and monastery were spared, but the blast damage shows just how close it was.”

According to the Ta’ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA), the airstrike occurred in the early morning hours, causing widespread panic. While no casualties have been reported, several community structures sustained damage, and many villagers have since fled to neighboring communities including Panglong and Pan Tha Pyay.

This is at least the third time Manli has been targeted by airstrikes in recent months. The village was previously bombed in December 2023 and January 2024, with one of the attacks killing a teacher at the local TLC school.

“There is no military presence in our village. We’re ordinary people trying to survive,” another resident said. “But now we live in constant fear.”

The area is known to have an active presence of ethnic resistance forces, including the TNLA and the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA). However, there were no armed clashes or troop movements reported in Manli at the time of the most recent strike.

Humanitarian groups and community leaders are calling for an immediate independent investigation into the incident and for stronger measures to protect civilians in conflict-affected regions.