The Myanmar military carried out airstrikes on Mongkut (Mogok) town in Shan State, controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), damaging at least five homes and injuring one woman.

Locals reported that two 250-pound bombs were dropped near Lin Yaung Chi Monastery in Ohn Kaing Ywar Thit, Shwe Gu Ward, in eastern Mongkut on the morning of September 16.

“This morning, two bombs hit four or five houses in the area. Last month, the same neighborhood was bombed twice, causing multiple casualties,” a resident told SHAN.

The area was previously targeted on August 14, when airstrikes killed 20 civilians, including 16 women, one pregnant woman, and several children, according to the Ta’ang Women’s Organization.
Airstrikes in TNLA-controlled Mongkut, Kyaukme, and Hsipaw have reportedly increased since military leader Min Aung Hlaing returned from China.

Although Mongkut is excluded from constituencies scheduled for upcoming elections, Kyaukme and Hsipaw remain on the list. Analysts warn that the military could attempt to retake TNLA-controlled areas along the Namhkam–Mongkut road before the December polls.