The junta bombed Namtu Town, which is controlled by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and located in Shan State’s Namtu Township on October 2, killing four internally displaced people (IDPs) and injuring at least five others.

At around 7:30 am, junta aircraft bombed Ward 8 of Namtu Town, killing four IDPs including one with underlying health issues, and injuring at least five others, according to a local witness.

“Three people were killed on the spot, and another woman died later at the hospital, bringing the death toll to four. Five others were injured, with serious cases taken to hospital for treatment,” he told Shan Herald.

The deceased were three women and an elderly man who had underlying health conditions.

The area targeted in Namtu Town was a shelter for IDPs who had fled from Nawngping Village Tract in Naungcho Township and from Kyaukme Township. Nearly 2,000 IDPs are currently taking refuge in Namtu Town, according to locals.

“This is the first time Namtu has ever been hit by an airstrike, and no one expected it. Right now, there are about 2,000 IDPs in the town,” a town resident said.

The locals never expected an airstrike, and the sudden appearance of the aircraft that morning shocked everyone, a woman from Namtu said.

“There are a lot of IDPs in the town, and the airstrike happened in the morning, which no one saw coming. After this, we’ll have to stay more alert and make security arrangements in advance in case of future airstrikes,” she emphasized.

On the same day, October 2, at around 7:00 am, the junta bombed the former Infantry Battalion 130 base in Mantong Town, which is controlled by the TNLA in Shan State. The base was taken over by the TNLA on December 22, 2023.

As the December 28 elections it will oversee approach, the junta is intensifying its military operations to retake as many lost territories as possible. It is also stepping up its offensive to reclaim townships in Shan State that have fallen under TNLA control.

The junta recaptured Kyaukme Town from the TNLA on October 1. Other TNLA-controlled towns in Shan State, such as Thibaw (Hsipaw), Namtu, Mantong, Namhkam, Kutkai, and Theinni (Hsenwi), could also face junta offensives, so locals in these areas should remain alert for any possible attacks, a young political activist in northern Shan State said.