A 15-year-old girl was killed and a man injured after stepping on a landmine while returning to retrieve rice near Nam Man village in Kyaukme Township, northern Shan State, on October 25, according to local sources.

The explosion occurred shortly after 1 p.m. along the Kyaukme–Mong Ngaw road, when two internally displaced persons (IDPs) went to a hillside hut to collect stored rice. The girl reportedly triggered the landmine, which exploded and killed her instantly. A man in his 50s, who rushed to help, sustained injuries to his hand from a second blast.

“They hit a mine while retrieving belongings near the 11-Mile area. The uncle went to collect rice, and the girl arrived on a motorbike. She must have touched the mine’s tripwire. When he tried to rescue her, another mine went off,” said a resident from Kyaukme.

The area has seen intensified clashes between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and junta forces, with the military increasingly resorting to air and artillery strikes across TNLA-controlled zones.

On October 24, the junta dropped a 500-pound bomb on Kaw Paung village near Mong Lon, killing a 70-year-old abbot and injuring five novice monks and two civilians, according to TNLA sources.

A similar airstrike on October 18 targeted Nam Man Monastery, injuring two monks, while another jet fighter attack on October 23 hit Namtu town, causing significant damage. Locals said Namtu has been bombed at least six times during the third week of October alone.

Meanwhile, junta troops that recently retook Hsipaw town have advanced toward Kun San Leik and Moe Tay villages, destroying the Moe Tay Bridge with explosives. The destruction forced nearly 500 residents from Namtu to flee again.

Aid workers reported that villagers from Namtu Township — including Hsai Khao, Man Sam, Nam Taung Kone, Mong Mu, and Pan Long — are now escaping toward Lashio and Tangyan.

Earlier in October, more than 1,000 Namtu residents fled to Lashio after sustained air attacks. Although some IDPs had since returned home for the harvest season, renewed offensives have trapped several families in conflict zones due to a lack of money to flee.

Locals added that the junta has shut down phone and internet networks in TNLA-controlled areas, including Namtu, and banned the use of Starlink Wi-Fi, cutting off communication channels.