The People’s Defence Force (PDF) has accused the regime of carrying out airstrikes on Thabeikkyin, Singu, Madaya and Mogok townships in Mandalay Region, after the regime in Naypyidaw repaired the runway at Mandalay International Airport on April 4.
The Mandalay airport is located in Tada-U Township 39 miles (62 km) south of the city, and 10 miles (16 km) south of Sagaing, the epicenter of the earthquake.
“I noted a jet fighter take off from Tada-U airport on April 4. It attacked the village near the seven-mile mark of Thabeikkyin. Then, there was another aircraft attacking Thila village in Singu on the same day,” a PDF spokesperson told DVB. No casualties were reported in either attack.
The PDF added that the regime has been continuing its attacks after it announced a ceasefire from April 2-22, meant to focus its efforts on earthquake relief.
Madaya, Singu, Thabeikkyin and Mogok are located 61-152 miles (98-244 km) north of Tada-U. Mogok, famous for its ruby mines, came under Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) control on July 24. The TNLA confirmed the attack on Mogok but reported there were no casualties.
Madaya residents told DVB that a Myanmar Air Force jet attacked a village in the township on April 5 but reported no casualties. On the same day, Mogok residents added that airstrikes were carried out on gem mines west of the town, but againg reported no casualties.
Besides the Tada-U airport in Mandalay, the Air Force also launched airstrikes from the Shante airport in Meiktila Township 53 miles (85 km) south of Tada-U.
The regime also used the Ayelar, or Naypyidaw International Airport, in the capital, the Northwestern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters’ airport in the Sagaing Region capital Monywa, as well as the Kalay airport in Kalay Township 144 miles (231 km) west of Monywa.
The Magway airport in the Magway Region capital was reportedly used to strike anti-regime targets in central Myanmar, the region hardest hit by the earthquake.
Damage caused by the earthquake was only reported at the Tada-U airport. Nearly 150 bodies were recovered and 20 were rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings in Inwa and Tada-U towns on March 31, residents told DVB.
Around 420 buildings and almost all religious structures in the two towns were destroyed, including the historic Lay Htat Gyi Temple and Me Nu Brick Monastery in Inwa, residents told DVB. Inwa is located 37 miles (59 km) north of Tada-U and 18 miles (28 km) south of Mandalay.
At least 44 bodies were recovered and 107 people were injured in National Unity Government (NUG)-controlled areas of Mandalay, including Madaya, Singu and Thabeikkyin townships, the Voice of Spring reported on April 6.
The TNLA reported on March 28 that the earthquake injured an unknown number of people but damaged a public hospital in Mogok.
The regime has launched 114 air and artillery strikes since the earthquake with 52 of them occurring after its ceasefire was announced on April 2. At least 71 people were killed and 92 were injured by these attacks as of April 7, according to DVB data.
