Two civilians were killed and seven others were injured when the military council’s forces conducted airstrikes on two villages in Wetlet and Shwebo Townships of Sagaing Region. According to local information networks, the incident occurred around 4 PM on May 13, 2024, when a J-Fighter aircraft from the Tatmadaw Bridge Head Air Base conducted two separate bombing raids on Sakhantha village in northeastern Wetlet Township and Ngapyioh village in southeastern Shwebo Township.
The airstrikes resulted in the immediate deaths of Ko Aung Lwin Win, who was in his twenties, and Daw Yan Yan, aged 35, both residents of Sakhantha village. Seven other villagers sustained injuries during the attack. Additionally, two cattle owned by villagers were killed, and several houses were damaged in the bombardment. According to local sources, the attacks targeted civilian areas where there were no military objectives, deliberately striking residential areas where ordinary citizens lived.
Local residents pointed out that such aerial attacks on civilian populations constitute violations of international humanitarian law and could be classified as war crimes. While there have been ongoing conflicts between the military council forces and local People’s Defense Forces in the region, the targeting of civilian populations has caused significant fear and concern among local residents. The military council’s continued use of airstrikes against civilian targets has been documented as part of a broader pattern of violence against the civilian population in the region, demonstrating a disregard for civilian lives and international humanitarian principles.
