27 April 2026 By Ra Wai
YESAGYO, Myanmar — Three children have been killed and five others seriously injured after a pro-military militia launched a drone strike on a tea shop housing a Starlink satellite internet hub in central Myanmar’s Sagaing Region.
The attack occurred around 4:00 PM on Saturday in Nga Ta Yaw village, Yesagyo Township. According to local resistance officials, two bombs were dropped from a drone operated by the Min Ywa Pyu Saw Htee—a military-aligned local militia.
The bombs exploded near a tea shop that provided satellite internet services via Starlink, a crucial lifeline for communication in a region where the military junta has frequently cut off traditional mobile data.
“The drone targeted the Starlink shop at the northern end of the village while people were gathered there to use the internet,” a spokesperson for the Yesagyo People’s Defence Force (PDF) told MPA. “One eight-year-old boy and two fifteen-year-olds were killed in the blast. They were all young boys.”
Five other children who were inside the shop sustained life-threatening injuries and are currently receiving emergency medical treatment at an undisclosed location.
While the shop building remained largely intact as the bombs struck the immediate perimeter, the human toll has been devastating. Satellite internet hubs like Starlink have become frequent targets for pro-junta forces seeking to dismantle the communication networks used by both civilians and resistance groups in Sagaing, a stronghold of anti-coup opposition.
The use of commercial drones modified to carry explosives has become a hallmark of the conflict in Myanmar, with both the military and resistance forces increasingly relying on aerial technology. However, monitors have warned that civilian gatherings at internet hubs and community centers are becoming high-risk zones.
The military junta has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident. Sagaing Region remains one of the most volatile frontlines in Myanmar’s civil war, with frequent reports of “scorched earth” campaigns and airstrikes by the military.
The death of the three boys adds to the mounting toll of minors killed in the conflict, which has escalated since the 2021 coup. For the residents of Nga Ta Yaw, the search for a signal has become a gamble between staying connected and staying alive.
