Thousands of people displaced by escalating airstrikes in Namtu and Hsipaw have arrived in Lashio, northern Shan State, and are now in urgent need of food, shelter, and humanitarian assistance, according to local aid workers.

The mass displacement follows a series of aerial bombardments by the military council, which has intensified attacks on Ta’ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA)-controlled territories after retaking Kyaukme town on October 1.

“The hardest part is finding a place to keep the displaced people. We have to search for and place them in Dhammayons (community halls) and rented barracks. As of yesterday, there are over 500 registered IDPs from Namtu in Lashio, plus another 500 staying near Naung Laing cemetery — more than 1,000 in total. It’s difficult to find both shelter and food,” a local aid worker in Lashio told SHAN.

More than 1,000 newly arrived IDPs from Namtu are now sheltering at 10 temporary sites across Lashio, including monasteries, churches, and social centers. Many urgently need bedding, blankets, and food supplies, according to aid groups assisting them.

Meanwhile, around 2,000 IDPs from Kyaukme and Naung Pain who fled to Lashio in late August remain stranded because the Union Highway between Kyaukme and Hsipaw remains closed due to ongoing fighting.

“The Kyaukme IDPs have been here for over two months. We want to send them back, but the Union Highway is blocked by clashes in Hsipaw. Donors, both local and distant, are also exhausted — there are nearly 3,000 displaced people in Lashio altogether,” the same aid worker added.

As military council forces continue advancing from Kyaukme toward Hsipaw, residents from villages along the Union Highway and from Hsipaw town have also fled toward territory controlled by the Kokang Army (MNDAA).

“Most people from Hsipaw fled to Nawng An and Nar Kan. Some reached Nam Lan, and others crossed the Hsipaw Bridge to areas controlled by the Kokang forces in Swat Lan, Nar Mak Khaw, and Kone Tha. There are thousands of displaced people there, but no organizations to help them. Food is running out,” a displaced woman from Hsipaw told SHAN.

Locals also reported that three villagers who returned to Chaung Chauk village (between Kyaukme and Hsipaw) on October 8 to collect food were shot and killed amid ongoing clashes. SHAN is working to independently verify this information.

The military council, which now controls Kyaukme, has been carrying out daily airstrikes on TNLA-held areas of Hsipaw and Namtu, with at least five aerial attacks reported in the past week alone.

In addition to Hsipaw and Namtu, airstrikes have also intensified in Mong Ngaw, Mong Lon, and Namhsan, killing civilians and forcing many to flee to safer areas.

Humanitarian workers warn that with thousands displaced and donor resources depleted, the crisis in northern Shan State is rapidly worsening.