Dozens injured in two days of airstrikes on remote Sagaing village

Around two dozen people have been injured in a remote Sagaing Region village near the Indian border following two consecutive days of airstrikes by Myanmar’s military, according to resistance sources. The attacks began at around midday on Thursday and targeted the busy market in Haw Zaw, a village in Paungbyin Township, the information officer for Battalion 1 of the Mawlaik District People’s Defence Force said. Despite the large number of injuries, none were serious, and there were no fatalities, the information officer told Myanmar Now on Friday. “We had issued warnings for vehicles to park systematically and not to gather in clusters. That’s why there were some civilian injuries but no deaths. The number of injured is estimated to be around 20 to 30,” he added. He said the strikes included 18 bombing runs by fighter jets, two by Y-12 aircraft, and three by gyrocopters that took off from Homalin Air Base. At around 4am on Friday, fighter jets returned to carry out two additional bombing runs. Haw Zaw is a village of around 150 households. Its market is located beside the main road connecting Paungbyin and Pinlebu, in an area known for heavy transport traffic. “It’s a place where transport vehicles and fuel trucks often camp and park. Since it’s also accessible to Homalin, it’s quite busy,” a local resident said. The town of Paungbyin is located on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River, near Myanmar’s border with the Indian state of Manipur. Rural parts of the township are largely under resistance control. The nearby town of Pinlebu was captured by resistance forces in October 2024. There have also been reports in recent days of a gyrocopter attack on a restaurant in a village in neighbouring Homalin Township. Seven people were reportedly killed in that assault, and five others injured. No further details were available at the time of reporting. Airstrikes were also carried out on Thursday in resistance-controlled areas west of of the Thaphanseik Dam in Kyunhla Township. According to residents, there were no casualties. Junta airstrikes killed 127 civilians and injured 241 across the country in January, with Sagaing and Magway regions experiencing the highest number of attacks, according to the Myanmar Defence and Security Institute, a research group formed by defectors from Myanmar’s military.

Dozens injured in two days of airstrikes on remote Sagaing village

The attacks targeted a busy market in Paungbyin Township, near the border with India

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