Myanmar’s junta says anti-coup forces destroyed the historic Gokteik Bridge, while rebels blame a junta airstrike.
The colonial-era viaduct, once the world’s tallest railway trestle, was a key transport link and tourist landmark.
The blast comes amid heavy fighting in Shan State, where resistance groups continue to challenge military control.
Myanmar’s ruling military junta announced on Sunday that the historic Gokteik Bridge — once the world’s tallest railway trestle — has been “bombed and destroyed” in the ongoing conflict between the army and anti-coup armed groups.
The country has been engulfed in civil war since the February 2021 military coup that ousted the elected civilian government, sparking nationwide resistance by pro-democracy militias and long-standing ethnic armed organisations.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun, in a video statement, accused the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People’s Defence Forces (PDF) of planting explosives that brought down the colonial-era bridge. Another statement from the military said the structure was “exploded with mines.”
However, the TNLA denied the accusation, blaming the junta itself for the damage. “The Myanmar army tried to bomb our bases this morning using drones. They bombed our troops, but their bomb also hit Gokteik Bridge,” TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo said.
Standing 102 metres (334 feet) above a deep gorge, the Gokteik Viaduct is Myanmar’s tallest railway bridge and was considered the world’s highest railway trestle when it opened in 1901 under British colonial rule. Stretching across the rugged terrain between Mandalay and Shan State, the bridge has long been both a crucial transport link and a tourist attraction.
Videos and photos circulating on social media appeared to show the bridge partially collapsed and heavily damaged.
The destruction comes amid fierce battles in northern Shan State, particularly around the towns of Nawnghkio and Kyaukme, where clashes between the TNLA and junta forces have intensified in recent weeks. The military claimed to have retaken Nawnghkio in July, but resistance groups continue to mount offensives.
The loss of the Gokteik Bridge not only marks the destruction of a century-old landmark but also threatens vital transport and supply routes in Myanmar’s embattled north.
As both sides trade blame, the collapse of the iconic viaduct underscores how Myanmar’s civil war is tearing apart not only its political and social fabric but also its historical and cultural heritage
