An airstrike carried out by the military junta on Detention Center No. 2 in Karenni State killed five people, including women and a child, according to local authorities.

The attack occurred on March 5 at around 11:00 a.m., when a military aircraft reportedly dropped three bombs on the detention facility. The site is located in Mese Township, an area currently under the control of resistance forces.

Ko Banya, Secretary (2) of the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC), confirmed the casualties to SHAN, saying the victims were family members of captured military personnel being held at the facility.

“The facility was hit by three bombs. Five members of SAC military families who were being held there were killed instantly, and four others were injured. They are family members of soldiers captured after the military base in Hpasawng was seized,” Ko Banya said.

According to local officials, the victims included an eight-year-old child, one man, and three women. Several others were injured and were reportedly receiving medical treatment.

The detention center is known to hold family members of military personnel and other detainees captured during fighting between resistance forces and the junta. Local sources said the facility was not an active combat site at the time of the airstrike.

Observers say the incident highlights the growing risks faced by civilians and detainees in areas affected by aerial attacks as the conflict continues to intensify across Myanmar.

The airstrike also follows a major security incident earlier this year at the same detention center. On January 18, 2026, 83 individuals escaped from Detention Center No. 2 during a breakout. Those who fled included 76 prisoners of war (POWs), two prison staff members, and five convicts, who reportedly seized five firearms during the escape.

Local authorities have not confirmed whether the recent airstrike was connected to the earlier breakout. Residents say continued air operations in Karenni State have heightened fears among communities already displaced by ongoing fighting, warning that detention sites, villages, and civilian infrastructure remain at constant risk of attack.