Five-Year-Old Girl Injured in Kyaukme Airstrike Undergoes Fourth Surgery

A five-year-old girl, severely injured during a military council airstrike in Kyaukme Township, Northern Shan State, in August 2025, is currently undergoing her fourth surgery at Lashio Hospital, according to her family.

The incident occurred on August 20, 2025, when the Terror Military Council dropped a 500-pound bomb on the PinteeVillage monastery. The site was being used as a shelter for displaced persons. The strike killed 10 civilians, including three children, and injured at least 25 others.

Among the victims was 5-year-old Ma Phu Thazin Oo. She suffered life-threatening injuries, including shrapnel wounds to her head, a lacerated abdomen with intestinal damage, and severe leg injuries. Her grandmother was killed instantly in the blast.

“I had just gone to the toilet when the bomb hit and I passed out,” the girl’s mother told the Ta’ang Women’s Organization (TWO). “My mother (Grandmother of the child) died on the spot. Many were injured, but while others have recovered, my daughter is still struggling. This is her fourth major operation.”

Due to the severity of her wounds, Ma Phu Thazin Oo’s leg had to be amputated. She is currently at Lashio Hospital for a complicated procedure to fix her damaged intestines. The family is now appealing for urgent financial assistance to cover the mounting medical costs.

A Mother’s Grief

“If I could go back in time, I wish I could have protected them better,” the mother shared through tears. “My child’s future feels so uncertain. Even after the physical wounds heal, the scars will remain forever. To see my child suffer like this… I feel completely helpless. We are just innocent civilians.”

Other Families in Distress

Daw Khin Thaung’s family was also devastated in the same attack. 

“My son, my daughter, and I were all injured, and my mother was killed instantly,” she told TWO. “We sought refuge in the monastery because of the frequent airstrikes. We were actually offering alms to the monks when the bombs fell.”

Daw Khin Thaung is still being treated for fractured ribs and a toe injury. Her 5-year-old daughter, Nang Law Kham, is recovering, but her 3-year-old son, Maung Sai Seng Wan, requires a second surgery as shrapnel remains lodged in his head. With no breadwinner left in the family, they are struggling to survive.