Myanmar’s military junta has launched a series of airstrikes targeting Kinpan Village in the Pinlebu Township of the Sagaing Region, an area situated near the border with Kachin State, according to local sources.
Local news outlet Pinlebu New Gen issued an alert on August 17, urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid large gatherings due to the frequency of the aerial assaults. Citing ongoing security concerns, the group declined to provide specific details on the situation on the ground.
“Because of certain circumstances, we cannot disclose further information at this time. For now, we urge everyone to exercise extreme caution,” a spokesperson for the outlet said.
On the afternoon of August 16, four junta fighter jets bombarded Kinpan Village. Local sources report that the attack ignited fires that destroyed homes and damaged both a local hospital and schools.
A resistance fighter operating along the Sagaing-Kachin border, who remains in contact with locals, described the aftermath of the bombardment:
“The destruction in Pinlebu is extensive. The fighter jets circled the village before dropping bombs, burning down approximately 15 houses. We do not yet have an exact casualty count, but at least two people died on the spot, and we are monitoring the condition of several others who were severely injured.”
A resident corroborated this account on social media, stating that junta aircraft dropped around 10 bombs on the village. KNG has not yet been able to verify the exact number of casualties independently.
Local reports suggest the bombardment may be linked to recent activities by defectors.
Two commanders from the Burma National Revolutionary Army (BNRA)—a faction that recently allied with the junta—allegedly escaped from Kinpan Village while receiving medical treatment there. The airstrikes commenced the following day.
While resistance forces suspect a direct connection between the escape of the BNRA officers and the bombing of the village, KNG has not independently verified this link.
The BNRA is led by Bo Nagar, once a prominent anti-junta resistance commander in the Sagaing Region whom critics have described as operating like a warlord.
Following prolonged disputes with the opposition National Unity Government (NUG), Bo Nagar formally defected to the military junta earlier this year.
Pinlebu Township occupies a strategic position on the border between the Sagaing Region and Kachin State.
The area has been under the joint control of the ethnic armed group Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the anti-junta People’s Defence Force (PDF) since resistance forces seized it on October 8, 2024.
