The number of civilians killed and injured in an airstrike carried out by the junta on Kawngjar Village in Bhamo Township, Kachin State, has risen to around 50, according to local sources. The attack occurred as residents were gathered for a memorial service.
The junta carried out the airstrike at around 4:00 pm on January 22, despite the area not being an active conflict zone, causing mass civilian casualties, said Colonel Naw Bu, spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
“The junta’s fighter jet attacked, causing mass casualties. So far, 22 people have been confirmed dead and 28 injured. And, 20 of them are hospitalized, while the remaining 8 are still receiving treatment as outpatients,” Colonel Naw Bu said.
Of the confirmed deaths, 18 civilians were killed instantly at the scene. Three others died from their injuries while being transported to hospital, and one died shortly after arrival. Several of the injured remain in critical condition, and the death toll could rise further, Colonel Naw Bu added.
Kawngjar Village is located west of Bhamo, Kachin State’s second-largest city, just across the Ayeyarwaddy River. Witnesses said the junta’s jets bombed Ward 3 of the village as residents were preparing to hold a memorial service for a local man who died on January 18.
“The airstrike hit Kawngjar Village, where we were taking refuge. Many villagers were killed. We were preparing to hold a memorial service when the bomb was fired,” a displaced Bhamo resident sheltering in the village told KNG.
A large number of civilians who fled Bhamo due to intense fighting between the junta and the KIA have been taking refuge in Kawngjar Village, which has around 100 houses.
The KIA accused the junta of deliberately attacking the village, saying it was fully aware that the area was not a conflict zone and that it was sheltering displaced civilians, describing the strike as a brutal act of killing.
Following the incident, Colonel Naw Bu urged locals to remain vigilant and avoid gatherings as much as possible.
The airstrike may be linked to the junta’s concerns over possible renewed KIA operations ahead of January 25, the final round of voting in its phased election, Colonel Naw Bu said.
“The junta is scheduled to hold voting in Bhamo and Shwegu on the upcoming Sunday. The junta may have carried out the airstrikes because it is afraid that the KIA will launch military operations in Shwegu on that day. The junta seems to be very worried about the KIA’s sudden attack on Shwegu Town,” he said.
Shwegu, another Kachin State town west of Bhamo, while Kawngjar Village lies between the two towns.
This is the third mass-casualty incident in Kachin State caused by junta airstrikes since the coup. In 2022, an airstrike on A Nang Pa Village in Hpakant Township killed nearly 80 people. In 2023, a nighttime air raid on the Mung Lai Hkyet refugee camp, part of the KIA’s headquarters in Laiza Township, resulted in around 50 casualties.
