Myanmar Junta Launches New Airstrike, Killing 17 in Kachin

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The Myanmar military regime carried out a fresh bombing raid on Wednesday night, targeting a position held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Shwegu Township, Kachin State. The airstrike, confirmed by KIA sources and local media, killed at least 17 people and wounded nearly 20 others.

This latest attack marks a significant escalation in the junta’s ongoing campaign against ethnic armed groups. According to KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bu, the strike hit territory controlled by Battalion 12. While initial reports suggest the site may have been a training camp, the KIA is still verifying the nature of the location and the full extent of casualties.

“On the night of Sept. 17, there was a bombing by aircraft,” Col. Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy. “We don’t have information about casualties yet. It is said to be a training site, but we can’t confirm that.”

Eyewitness accounts and images of the aftermath—showing bodies and damaged structures—have circulated widely on social media. The Kachin News Group reported 17 deaths and 19 injuries, while junta-controlled outlets claimed the toll was closer to 50.

Shwegu lies roughly 36 kilometres west of Bhamo, a flashpoint in the conflict between the junta and the KIA, which has intensified over the past nine months. The township has been under martial law since 1 August.

This is not the first time the junta has bombed KIA positions. In March, a separate airstrike in Mohnyin killed at least 30 young recruits. However, Wednesday’s attack is part of a broader surge in military aggression: since announcing a December election date last month, the regime has doubled its airstrike frequency, reportedly killing over 100 people nationwide.

The KIA, which has seized hundreds of junta outposts and 14 towns across Kachin State, continues to resist military control in key areas including Waingmaw, Bhamo, and Hpakant. As fighting intensifies, the humanitarian toll is mounting—underscoring the volatile and deadly nature of Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict.

-2025-09-21