The terrorist military forces conducting an offensive on Naung Cho town in northern Shan State are forcing new recruits into suicide missions, with military columns now reaching near the town and decomposing bodies of soldiers scattered along the offensive routes, according to an information officer from the Danu People’s Liberation Army (DPLA). The battles are primarily taking place in Ta’ang State’s Military Region 3, around the villages of Kyauk Kham, Naung Lin, Kyauk Taw, Umkha, Namun, and Yay Maung Tan.
The military council is continuously firing heavy artillery and conducting drone strikes. They are forcibly sending new recruits to the frontlines as suicide attackers and using them as porters. While there have been numerous deserters and defectors, the military council has managed to recapture some and force them back into service. Some soldiers are fleeing, and local civilians have been warned to evacuate to safe areas. The military council has deployed thousands of troops in the offensive, with continuous reinforcements replacing those killed or fled.
During the battles, the military council fired 132 artillery shells and over 50 drone bombs. In Naung Lin, Kyauk Kham, and Umkha villages, they launched attacks with 75 artillery shells and 40 drone bombs, while in Kyauk Taw, Namun, and Yay Maung Tan villages, they fired 57 artillery shells and 10 drone bombs. On July 8, they had launched attacks with 189 artillery shells and 48 drone bombs, according to records. The intensity of the military’s offensive has resulted in significant casualties among their forces, with reports of bodies left unrecovered on the battlefields.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has urged local civilians to remain vigilant against airstrikes and follow air defense guidelines. The military council’s offensive has caused fear and anxiety among local residents, with many forced to flee to safer areas. The fighting continues, and the situation in the region is expected to worsen due to the military council’s continued artillery bombardment. The DPLA spokesperson emphasized that the military council is using inexperienced recruits as cannon fodder, leading to high casualty rates and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the area. Local resistance forces continue to defend against the military’s advances while trying to protect civilian populations from the escalating violence.
