BILIN, Myanmar — A series of airstrikes launched by Myanmar’s sham government has targeted a Chinese-owned gold mining operation in Mon State, killing three local workers and injuring several others, including Chinese nationals.
The attack occurred at approximately 11:00 AM on March 16, 2026, in Win Kalay village, situated along the banks of the Bilin River. Witnesses reported that a jet fighter dropped at least five bombs on the site despite there being no active fighting in the immediate vicinity.
According to local resistance sources, two bombs scored direct hits on a gold mining raft, while the remaining explosives landed near heavy machinery and processing sites on the riverbank.
“The strike specifically targeted the infrastructure of the mining site,” said Ko Aye Min Tun, Deputy Commander of the Special Region Command and PDF official for Brigade 1. “Three local workers—two middle-aged men and one woman—were killed instantly. At least five others were wounded, some of whom are Chinese nationals.”
The site is located within territory controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 1. Taking advantage of the region’s political instability, dozens of Chinese entrepreneurs have established mining operations along the Bilin River in partnership with local armed groups.
While the region is home to over 50 gold mining sites largely dominated by Chinese investors, the labor force is primarily comprised of local villagers. Analysts suggest the sham government’s strike may be an attempt to cut off economic resources flowing to revolutionary forces, though the human cost has fallen largely on civilian laborers.
The Bilin River has long been a source of environmental concern for local residents due to the extensive damage caused by large-scale gold mining. However, the recent shift toward military targeting of these sites has added a layer of acute physical danger to an already volatile situation.
“They targeted the entire cluster of mining sites in that area, but the Chinese-owned facilities sustained the most damage,” a local source told MPA. Following the attack, work has ground to a halt as hundreds of laborers flee into nearby forests, fearing subsequent raids.
The KNU has previously warned of the increasing use of airpower by the sham government to strike deep into its controlled territories. Human rights monitors say the targeting of economic assets—especially those involving foreign nationals—marks an escalation in the junta’s desperate efforts to regain control of the country’s lucrative border trade and resource-rich hinterlands.
