The Air Force Base located in Mingaladon Township of Yangon was attacked with artillery Thursday night. The first explosion was reported by locals at 9 p.m. on April 6, Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA) reported. A series of explosions and gunfire followed, causing damage to the Air Force Head Office and aircraft fuel tanks. “The airport inside the base was shelled. My house shook. I saw fire along the runway after the explosions. I heard over 50 rounds of gunfire. There was a [power outage] at that time here, so I saw it vividly,” a local recounted. Residents from Mingaladon, North Dagon, South Okkalapa and North Okkalapa townships reported hearing and seeing the same.
Regime forces from Hmawbi, Htauk Kyant and Taikkyi townships arrived at Mingaladon Air Force base after the attack. The Burma Army blocked all exits from the base as well as roads in North Okkalapa and Mingaladon townships. It set up a security checkpoint to inspect vehicles. Daily airstrikes are carried out by regime forces on the liberated areas of Burma under the control of Ethnic Resistance Organizations (EROs) and under the command of the National Unity Government (NUG) People’s Defense Forces (PDF). On November 21, 2021 an attack on Mingaladon Air Force base killed seven staff and injured another seven.
