At least ten people, including four female resistance fighters, have been killed following a targeted drone strike by the Myanmar military on a church in Chin State, local sources have confirmed.
The attack took place on the afternoon of May 6 in Phunom Village, Tedim Township. According to witnesses, a military drone released three bombs directly onto the Assemblies of God (AG) Church at approximately 4:00 PM. While only one of the three initial devices detonated, the impact was lethal for those in the immediate vicinity.
The blast claimed the lives of seven Chin revolutionary personnel and three civilians. Among the fallen resistance members were four women and three men.
“The drone specifically targeted the church,” a source close to the local resistance forces told MPA. “At the time, three civilians were also at the church preparing meals; they were killed in the explosion. We believe most of the civilian victims were women.”
The specific activities being conducted by the resistance members at the church have not yet been formally disclosed by their respective units.
The assault did not end with the initial bombing. An hour later, at approximately 5:00 PM, the military launched a second drone strike on the same location. The subsequent explosion triggered a massive fire that completely gutted the historic church building.
Local residents reported that an elderly man from the village also sustained critical injuries from shrapnel during the second wave of the attack.
Phunom Village sits roughly 18 miles from Tedim town and 13 miles from Kennedy Peak—a strategic height that has seen heavy fighting in recent days.
The escalation in Tedim follows a military push that began on May 2, with junta forces moving out of Kalay toward Tedim to reinforce their positions. This troop movement has been met with stiff resistance from Chin joint forces, who have been launching frequent ambushes along the Kalay-Tedim highway.
The targeting of religious buildings has become a recurring and controversial feature of the conflict in Myanmar, particularly in predominantly Christian areas like Chin State. Human rights monitors have repeatedly condemned the junta for its use of airpower and drones against non-military targets and places of worship.
