The People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Chaung-U Township told DVB that 12 civilians, including two children, and one PDF member were killed in Chaungma and Nwekhway villages during a military offensive in Sagaing Region on Tuesday. Chaung-U is located 30 miles (48 km) northwest of the regional capital Monywa.
“Villagers had to flee [their homes] as many were killed and injured,” a Chaung-U PDF information officer told DVB on the condition of anonymity.
Six of the 13 killed, including the two children, were residents of Chaungma village. Another seven were killed in Nwekhway village. Twenty houses in both villages were either damaged or destroyed in the attacks, which included a ground offensive with the use of artillery by the Burma Army, and airstrikes by the Burma Air Force.
Pro-military social media accounts claimed that the bodies of two PDF members, one rifle, 100 rounds of ammunition, and related materials during the operations were recovered by regime troops in Chaung-U.
At least 20 people were killed at a wedding ceremony for a PDF member in Sonkon village of Myaing Township, Magway Region, on Feb. 25. Myaing is located 40 miles (64 km) south of Chaung-U.
Airstrikes have also been carried out by the Air Force on Monywa, 25 miles (40 km) south of Chaung-U, and Kani, 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Chaung-U.
The National Unity Government (NUG) stated that 15 people, including six children, were killed in Monywa and Kani by the regime’s “extensive and relentless aerial bombardment,” after it allegedly dropped 212 bombs Feb. 12-14.
Residents of Chaung-U and Monywa townships told DVB that there were a significant number of casualties and widespread destruction caused by these airstrikes.
Most of Sagaing Region, outside of its urban areas, remain under resistance control. The PDF under the NUG hold the towns of Khampat, Shwe Pyi Aye, Maw Luu, Myothit, and Pinlebu. The five towns are located 176-232 miles (283-373 km) north of Monywa.
The Blood Money Campaign, a coalition of anti-coup activists, has documented 2,257 people killed and 3,417 injured in 4,022 airstrikes across Myanmar since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021 up to Nov. 30, 2024.
It is calling on the international community to ban the sale, export, or transfer of aviation fuel to Myanmar, as well as a monitoring mechanism to be established and enforced by the U.N.
Since the 2021 coup, Blood Money Campaign has documented 711 airstrikes in Sagaing up to Nov. 30, 2024. In April 2023, 168 civilians were killed by airstrikes in Pazigyi village of Kanbalu Township, which is located 104 miles (167 km) north of Monywa.
