A 38-year-old woman was injured when an artillery shell fired by Myanmar military junta forces struck a residential area in Tanintharyi Region’s Yebyu Township, according to residents and news reports.

The incident occurred early on September 3 following a 30-minute clash between revolutionary forces and an advancing junta column moving from Kywetalin village toward Yar Phue village.

Following the engagement, junta forces fired two artillery shells toward the surrounding communities.

One shell detonated at a cemetery outside Kywetalin village, while the second hit a home at the entrance of Yar Phue village, wounding the victim in the hand with shrapnel.

“They fired two artillery shells indiscriminately after the gunfire stopped,” a resident told Mon News. “That’s how a woman was struck in the hand. Fortunately, her injuries were not life-threatening.”

The victim is currently receiving medical treatment at a local village clinic.

The attack comes amid a significant military buildup in the area. Local sources report that the junta deployed over 100 additional troops to Yar Phue and Kywetalin during the final week of August, doubling the total visible force to over 200 soldiers, excluding roving patrols in nearby forests.

The motive behind the deployment remains unclear, as no prior clashes had been reported in the days leading up to the reinforcement.

Human rights advocates have repeatedly documented military atrocities in the region. According to a recent report by Fortify Rights, junta forces in Yebyu Township have engaged in killings, torture, and the arson of civilian homes as part of efforts to secure control over the strategic Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ).