The junta carried out an airstrike in Mong Yai Township, northern Shan State, just days before the township was scheduled to take part in the second phase of the junta-led elections on January 11, 2026.

According to military sources, at around 11:00 a.m. on January 9, the junta deployed two jet fighters to bomb a location near Shan Taw village. The targeted site is believed to have been a former online scam or fraud center located in a forested area.

“Two planes dropped bombs this morning. The location is in a forested area, which we understand was an old online scam facility. We don’t yet know the extent of casualties or the specific reason for the attack,” a local source told SHAN.

SHAN is continuing to investigate whether the airstrike caused civilian casualties or material damage.

The bombed area lies about a three-hour drive from Mong Yai town. Shan Taw village is located between Mong Yai and Hsipaw townships, a strategically sensitive zone where multiple armed actors are active, including junta forces, the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA/Kokang).

The airstrike comes amid heightened military activity and security tensions across Shan State as the junta prepares to proceed with the second phase of its election process.