Airstrike kills 13 in Namhkam Town, northern Shan State

Airstrike kills 13 in Namhkam Town, northern Shan State

13 civilians, including children and a pregnant woman were killed in a junta airstrike on Namhkam Town in northern Shan State on 6 September 2024.

In the early morning of 6 September, a junta plane dropped a 500-pound bomb near the night market in Namhkam Town. Entire families were reported to be amongst the 13 killed.

Around 1:00 am on 6 September, a junta plane dropped a 500-pound bomb on houses near to the night market and  Kyaphyu (White Tiger) Hall in Namhkam Town. Initially 11 people died, two children, four women and five men, according to a report by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

But, by noon on 6 September the number of dead had risen to 13, entire families were reported to be amongst the 13 killed.

A rescue worker said: “Among the deceased, there are 13 people, including children and a pregnant woman. Entire families were affected, including a pregnant woman, her spouse, and her child.”

Currently, efforts are being made to clear the debris from the six damaged houses and other buildings, while the bodies of the deceased are being prepared for cremation.

A resident of Namhkam Town said that following the airstrike all the markets in the town have stopped operating and the town’s residents are now living in fear.

The TNLA took complete control of Namhkam Township, which borders China and includes Namhkam Town, on 20 December 2023. This was the first junta airstrike on the town since then, according to the TNLA statement.

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