Residents of Madaya Township, located around 24 miles (39 km) north of Mandalay city, told DVB that airstrikes were carried out by the Myanmar Air Force on at least four villages Sunday.
“We saw a fighter jet and a helicopter open fire onto the villages from afar. We don’t know exactly how much damage [was caused],” said a Madaya resident. Fighting between the military and the People’s Defense Force (PDF) has been ongoing in Mwaykutoseik, Powa, Ngetoe and Saukchonpauk villages since Nov. 16.
The jet fighter, which struck Madaya, was reportedly from the military’s Shante Airbase in Meiktila, located 86 miles (138 km) south of Mandalay. Six military personnel were injured there during a resistance attack on the airbase on Nov. 11.
The helicopter took off from the Northwestern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in Monywa, 104 miles (167 km) east of the Sagaing Region capital.
“On Sunday morning, fighting occurred in Powa village and many soldiers were killed. I think that’s why they conducted retaliatory airstrikes,” a People’s Defense Force (PDF) spokesperson told DVB.
Madaya residents added that they spotted the aircraft over the four villages all day Sunday. The military launched its counteroffensive in Madaya last month in order to regain territory seized by resistance forces.
The Mandalay PDF claims it controls 35 military outposts in Madaya, including Singu and Thabeikkyin townships 34-66 miles (54-106 km) north of Mandalay, since it launched an offensive called ‘Operation Shan-Man’ alongside the Brotherhood Alliance in northern Shan State and Mandalay Region on June 25.
