Air strike in K--- village, Htee Day village tract

On February 21st 2024, at 2 pm, an State Administration Council (SAC)[2] helicopter from Toungoo air base, located at the SAC Southern Command Headquarters (Ta Pa Ka) in Toungoo Town, dropped bombs on K--- village, section 3, in Htee Day (Pi Tauk Kon) village tract,[3] Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thadaunggyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. [Previously,] there had been no fighting or movement of armed forces in or near the village since the first quarter of 2023. Due to the air strike, four K--- villagers were injured by shrapnel, and an 85-year-old woman named Daw[4] L---, also from K--- village section 3, died immediately due to injuries to her head, abdomen, and chest. Daw L---’s skull was broken, and her abdomen perforated, expelling her intestines. A 35-year-old woman, named Daw C---, was injured on her leg and required an amputation. The other three injured villagers were Daw T---, a 35-year-old woman; Ma S---, a 12-year-old girl; and a child (unknown name), who is one-and-a-half years old. They are all ethnic Bamar[5] and Buddhist. These four injured villagers were transported by car to [a hospital in Yay Tal Shay Town, Bago Division. The hospital in Yay Tal Shay Town lacked resources to treat Daw C---, who required an amputation, so she was transferred to a hospital in] Naypyidaw city, which is [approximately] four hours away. [The injured villagers did not receive any support from any humanitarian organisation to cover treatment costs].

In addition, two houses, belonging to villagers named U[6] O--- and U J---, were hit by the shrapnel. Both villagers are Buddhist and of Bamar ethnicity, ages unknown. Some domestic animals were injured and died as well: a medium-sized cow, one dog, and some chickens died, three cows were injured, and two dogs lost their legs. Crops were destroyed due to the bomb [explosions] and shrapnel. [As explained by local villagers to the KHRG researcher,] the villagers feel devastated, traumatised, and aggrieved after experiencing the air strike.

Air strike in M--- village, Htee Day village tract

On February 21st 2024, at 2:15 pm, the helicopter from Toungoo air base, located at Southern Command Headquarters, conducted another air strike and dropped bombs on M--- village, Htee Day village tract, Daw Hpa Hkoh Township. One [bomb] landed and exploded on a villager’s house, where eight family members lived. Three [out of the eight members] died. The remaining five [family members] were injured. [The injured villagers went to a hospital in Yay Tal Shay Town, Bago Division, to receive treatment. They did not receive any assistance from any humanitarian organisation to cover treatment costs.] In addition, three cows were also killed. M--- villagers also expressed feeling traumatised after experiencing the air strike.

Tables: information of air strike victims from M--- village

Further background reading on the situation on air strikes in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:

• “Taw Oo District Short Update: Shelling, air strikes and house burning by SAC troops, and use of forced navigators by PDF soldiers in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (November to December 2023)”, April 2024;
• “Taw Oo District Short Update: House burning, indiscriminate shelling and air strikes by the SAC in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (September to November 2023)”, March 2024;
• “Taw Oo District Short Update: SAC air strikes killed two villagers, injured three children, and caused property damage in Daw Hpa Hkoh Township (September 2023)”, February 2024;
• “Taw Oo District Situation Update: Fighting, shelling, and house burning in Thandaung Town, and air strikes in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (January to July 2023)”, January 2024.