Shan State, Sep 07 (V7N) — Airstrikes by Myanmar's ruling military junta have killed 11 civilians and injured at least 11 others in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Shan State, a northern province near the Chinese border controlled by ethnic armed groups.

The strikes targeted two areas in Namkham city at around 1 a.m. on Friday, according to Elwe Ye Wu, a spokesperson for the Tang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group opposing the junta. Myanmar-based outlet The Irrawaddy reported that the airstrikes occurred late Thursday night and early Friday morning, with women and children among the victims.

The TNLA accused the junta of committing war crimes, alleging that they dropped two 500-pound bombs on civilian areas in northern Shan State, close to the Chinese border. Namkham, the site of the attack, is located just five kilometres from the Chinese frontier.

In March 2024, the TNLA took control of Namkham after defeating junta forces. Since October 2023, anti-junta armed groups like the TNLA have escalated their armed struggle against the military government, now controlling significant portions of Shan State. The ongoing conflict continues to displace thousands of civilians across Myanmar.