Following the breakdown of negotiations between the military council and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Kunming, China, airstrikes were conducted on areas within Mogok Township. On May 2nd at 11:47 PM, the military council carried out two aerial attacks on the eastern and western parts of Mogok Township, areas currently under TNLA control.
According to a People’s Defense Force (PDF) source from Mogok, bombs struck near the Buddha shrine at Htut Inn Dhamma Hall in western Mogok, while another bomb hit Bamun village in the eastern part of the township. While there were no reported casualties from the airstrikes, several homes and buildings sustained damage. Local residents reported that fighter jets flew at low altitudes before identifying their targets and launching the attacks. The impact of the explosions was strong enough to shake nearby houses, according to eyewitness accounts.
Prior to these airstrikes, representatives from the military council and TNLA had met for negotiations on April 28th and 29th, facilitated by China. During these talks, the military council demanded that TNLA forces withdraw from various regions including Naung Cho, Kyaukme, Hsipaw, Mogok, and Momeik, retreating to the Palaung Self-Administered Zone of Namhsan and Mantong townships. The TNLA delegation, led by Deputy Commander-in-Chief Tar Jot Ja, rejected these demands, leading to the collapse of the negotiations. The TNLA subsequently issued an official statement announcing the failure of the talks. The airstrikes appear to be a direct military response to this diplomatic breakdown, marking an escalation in tensions between the two sides.
