A deadly artillery and drone strike killed a displaced mother and her young daughter in Nawnghkio Township on July 20, as Myanmar’s military junta intensified assaults in the Gokteik (Gote Hteik) region following its declaration of control over the area.

Local sources report that the State Administrative Council (SAC) forces resumed shelling villages and conducting drone surveillance in Gokteik after reoccupying Nawnghkio in early July. The attacks have since escalated, displacing hundreds of civilians and claiming multiple lives.

The victims, identified as 35-year-old Ma Soe Soe Khaing and her 9-year-old daughter, Nang Shwe Sin Lin, were sheltering in Tapyayyae Ward when a direct hit destroyed their refuge. Eyewitnesses say the two died instantly in the blast.

“Nine shells landed, and seven exploded, damaging homes and vehicles. One struck their shelter, killing them both. The girl’s neck was broken from the impact,” a 27-year-old resident told SHAN. The victims were later cremated at Nawngping cemetery.

Since the military announced full control of Nawnghkio on July 16, heavy shelling has ravaged at least seven villages in Gokteik, forcing renewed civilian flight. Locals describe a terrifying pattern: drones first surveil the area, followed by coordinated strikes on residential zones.

“People returned home, thinking it was safe. But when drones reappeared, the shelling began. Now everyone is fleeing again. The drones scout first—then they target houses. When the attacks came, no one could help; we just ran,” said a displaced woman now hiding in Nawnghkio.

Adding to the crisis, the Gote Twin Bridge, a critical route linking Nawnghkio and Kyaukme, was reportedly destroyed in an aerial bombing, severing transport for trucks and passenger vehicles. With junta troops massing for further advances into Kyaukme Township, civilians brace for potential ground assaults.