A 19-year-old civilian named Chit Zaw Lat was killed when junta forces conducted a drone strike on Paepinshay village in Pyawbwe Township, Mandalay Region, according to displaced residents from the village.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 28, as Chit Zaw Lat was chopping firewood at his home. A drone dropped a bomb directly into the village, killing him instantly and injuring his father, U Tin Maung, who was drinking hot water nearby when shrapnel struck his arm, damaging a vein. He is currently receiving medical treatment and is no longer in critical condition, residents said.
“The bomb exploded just about four feet in front of him. He died on the spot. His father was hit by fragments while drinking hot water. Thankfully, he’s now recovering,” one villager recounted.
Locals confirmed there was no ongoing fighting in Paepinshay village at the time of the attack, suggesting it was an unprovoked strike.
In a separate incident on the same morning at around 7:00 a.m., heavy fighting broke out between junta forces and local People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) near Taung Khamaung village, west of Welauk in Taungtha Township, Mandalay Region. Following reported casualties among junta troops, the military responded with an airstrike on the village. Multiple homes were destroyed by fire as a result of the bombing.
