By AFP and published by CNA
MYANMAR’S ruling military junta said on Sunday (Aug. 24) a colonial-era bridge that was once the world’s highest railway trestle had been “bombed and destroyed” by anti-coup armed groups.
A civil war has consumed Myanmar since a 2021 coup deposed the civilian government, with the military battling a myriad of pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic armed organisations.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said in a video statement to media that the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People’s Defence Forces had “bombed and destroyed” Gokteik bridge.
Another statement by the junta said the bridge had been “exploded with mines”.
Standing 102 metres above a gorge, the Gokteik Viaduct is the highest bridge in Myanmar and was the tallest railway trestle in the world when it opened in 1901 during the British colonial era.
Videos and photos on social media showed the bridge partly collapsed and damaged. The bridge connects Mandalay to northern Shan State by rail and draws a number of tourists.
A TNLA spokesperson rejected the accusations and said it was the junta that had bombed the bridge.
“(The) Myanmar army tried to bomb our bases… this morning by using drones. They bombed our troops, but their bomb also hit Gokteik bridge,” Lway Yay Oo said.
The nearby towns of Nawnghkio and Kyaukme have seen heavy fighting between the TNLA and the junta in recent weeks.
The junta had claimed to have recaptured Nawnghkio in July.
CAPTION:
The Gokteik Viaduct is a remarkable railway bridge located in Nawnghkio, in the western part of Shan State, Myanmar. Serving as a critical link between Pyin Oo Lwin and Lashio, the viaduct stands as the highest bridge in Myanmar and was once the largest railway trestle in the world when it was completed. Its construction began in 1899, undertaken by the Pennsylvania and Maryland Bridge Construction Company, with components fabricated by the Pennsylvania Steel Company and transported from the United States. The bridge was officially opened in 1901, with the construction overseen by Sir Arthur Rendel, an engineer for the Burma Railway Company. Photos shared on Facebook by Amazing Myanmar
Watch video of the Gokteik Bridge shared on YouTube by Lior Shafir
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