AN AIR STRIKE by Myanmar’s military on a central village under the control of resistance forces has killed at least 27 civilians and injured 30 others, an opposition group and Myanmar’s online media said on Saturday.

The attack occurred during Friday afternoon in Let Pan Hla village in Singu township, about 40 miles north of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, a spokesperson for the Mandalay People’s Defence Force (MDY-PDF) said.

The military government has stepped up air strikes against the armed pro-democracy People’s Defence Force and ethnic minority guerilla groups that have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades.