Junta Uses Chemical Weapons in Northern Shan State

Junta Uses Chemical Weapons in Northern Shan State

The Danu People's Liberation Army (DPLA) has accused the junta of using chemical weapons on 20 April 2025, during its offensive in the area of Tawngkham Village Naungcho (Nawnghkio) Township in Northern Shan State.

On 20 April junta aircraft dropped three bombs containing noxious chemicals at 1:00 pm and a further four at 3:00pm on Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and DPLA troops operating around Tawngkham Village.

In a 21 April statement the DPLA said that some of its troops who were exposed to the chemical weapons had suffered from dizziness, vomiting and a drop in blood pressure.

A DPLA fighter said to Shan Herald: “After being exposed to these fumes, four of our comrades had trouble breathing, and their blood pressure dropped. They also felt dizzy and vomited violently. They suffered a lot in the days after inhaling the gases. Taking medicine didn’t do enough to ease the symptoms, so they had to be given injections.”

The is not the first report of the junta using chemical weapons. There have been frequent other reports of the junta using chemical weapons. For instance in Shan State in February 2025 and in Mawdaung Town in Tanintharyi Township on 7 April 2025.

Despite the junta declaring a unilateral ceasefire from 2 to 22 April to allow for earthquake relief it has, unsurprisingly, continued carrying out military operations throughout the country.

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