According to an official statement from the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), military council airstrikes in February 2024 resulted in 13 civilian deaths and 36 injuries across territories controlled by the Palaung State Liberation Front/TNLA. These aerial attacks targeted areas in Naung Cho, Mogok, and Momeik townships, causing significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction of residential properties.
On February 6, an airstrike on Naung Cho’s Thapyaytaung Ward resulted in one civilian injury and the destruction of five homes. A more devastating attack occurred on February 10 in Mogok’s western Wanhtran Ward, where 20 bombs were dropped, killing five civilians and wounding 19 others, while destroying five houses. On February 20, two bombs were dropped on the Railway Ward and Naung Cho Public Hospital, resulting in three civilian deaths and four injuries. The same day, another airstrike targeted Webaung village in Momeik Township, where two bombs killed three civilians, injured seven others, and destroyed five homes.
The military council’s aerial campaign continued with an attack on Lawkphan village in Naung Cho Township on February 21, causing one civilian death and injuring four others, including a child, while destroying six houses. On February 22, the military conducted a massive bombing operation on Shwemutaw and Taunghshung villages, dropping 32 bombs and killing one civilian. The intensity of these attacks demonstrates a pattern of targeting civilian areas with heavy ordinance, resulting in significant casualties and property damage across the region.
The situation escalated further on February 23 when the military council employed chemical weapons during fighting between Taunghshung and Manmaw villages, causing injuries to 10 TNLA soldiers, with four suffering severe wounds. The month’s attacks concluded on February 28 with an airstrike that injured a Buddhist nun and damaged five houses and a monastery. Local residents have pointed out that these deliberate attacks on civilian areas and religious buildings constitute war crimes. The systematic nature of these airstrikes, particularly targeting civilian infrastructure including hospitals and religious buildings, has raised serious concerns about the military council’s conduct of warfare and its disregard for civilian lives and protected structures under international humanitarian law.
