Min Kun residents displaced by fighting, ongoing danger of aftershocks

Residents of the earthquake-affected village of Min Kun, Sagaing Township in the region of the same name fled their homes this week due to the threat of violence as well as aftershocks following last month’s earthquake, locals said. On Sunday evening, an ambush near Let Pan village on the Sagaing–Min Kun Road targeted a vehicle transporting members of the pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias on a return trip from Sagaing. The ensuing shootout left seven Pyu Saw Htee members dead, according to local sources. “The firefight lasted around 45 minutes. There were about ten people in the vehicle, and seven were killed,” a man living in Sagaing told Myanmar Now. The identified victims included Nay Lin, also known as Yebaw Gyi, a Pyu Saw Htee militia leader in his 40s from a unit led by the notorious militia-promoting monk Wai Pon La. Nay Lin was a disciple of Shwe Kyar, also known as Kyaw Myo Tun, who was shot dead by resistance fighters on the Sagaing-Min Kun road in early January. After Shwe Kyar’s death, Nay Lin became a militia leader himself, according to residents of Sagaing Township. Damage to Mya Thein Tan Pagoda caused by the earthquake, as seen on April 10 (Photo: Moe Oo) “It has been confirmed that the Pyu Saw Htee militia leader is deceased. He was severely disfigured and dismembered, and his body was riddled with bullets. The other six individuals are also presumed dead,” a local man said. The attack was carried out by resistance groups operating in Min Kun, namely the Unicorn Guerrilla Force, Min Kun People’s Defence Forces, and the People’s Security Forces, all of which withdrew swiftly after junta reinforcements arrived, according to resistance sources. A spokesperson for the Unicorn Guerrilla Force said that the anti-junta forces hit the Pyu Saw Htee militia with 40-millimetre artillery and small arms fire on the Sagaing-Min Kun road. “When their reinforcements showed up, our weapons malfunctioned, making it impossible to eliminate all of them. We had no choice but to retreat, and some managed to flee. There were ten people in the vehicle, and we later found out that seven of them had died,” the Unicorn Guerrilla Force spokesperson said. “The next day, during our clearing operation, we found a car, firearms, and ammunition. We then set the car on fire.” Nay Lin, the deceased militia leader, was allegedly involved in arson attacks on civilian homes in the Min Kun area, according to the Unicorn Guerrilla Force. Military council exerts control over quake-impacted area On March 20, nearly 100 junta troops took positions near the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda in Min Kun, prompting local resistance forces to block the area and launch attacks. However, the resistance forces were forced to retreat after junta reinforcements, advancing from Min Wun Hill, launched coordinated ground assaults, with other military forces providing support by water and air. The aerial attacks inflicted heavy damage on the Min Kun region, including on historical structures and pagodas. Monks and nuns from the Sagaing Hills—which are home to a number of terraced monasteries and convents—were among the noncombatants forced to flee. Junta forces advanced into villages near Min Kun, with residents reporting that they captured and killed civilians, torched homes, and assaulted women. Min Kun, which is located west of Mandalay and near the city of Sagaing, suffered devastating losses in the 7.7-magnitude quake that struck near Sagaing on March 28. The disaster also damaged several historic sites including the grounds of the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda. The military has deployed a total of around 200 soldiers, police officers, and Pyu Saw Htee members to the Min Kun police station and other areas, citing earthquake response operations as a pretext. Residents have fled the area in response, fearing not only aftershocks from the earthquake but also the threat of military raids, according to the Unicorn Guerrilla Force. The culturally rich Min Kun area, known for its centuries-old pagodas, the iconic Min Kun Bell, and traditional Myanmar crafts, was a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors before the military coup. The junta currently maintains bases at and near the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda and Min Kun police station, and has reportedly used both to fire on surrounding villages using heavy artillery. Residents of Min Kun confirmed that thousands had fled the area. “We are currently sheltering more than 300 people who were affected by the earthquake. These are residents who have fled to areas under our resistance’s control,” said a Unicorn Guerrilla Forced spokesperson. He added that the group has been supplying food, financial assistance, and medical care to people impacted by the earthquake. Since 2022, following the 2021 military coup, fighting has erupted frequently between resistance forces and junta troops stationed near renowned temple sites in Min Kun, with reports of the troops capturing and torturing local residents. Many residents, who previously relied on tourism for their livelihoods, left Min Kun due to a recent drop in the number of visitors as well as the growing threat of violent battles. Since late 2024, more than 100 monks from the Tipitaka Nikaya Missionary Association who were preparing for exams in the Buddhist canon, as well as more than 600 nuns from more than 40 convents, have fled from the Min Kun area, according to a craftsman in his 50s from Min Kun, who spoke to Myanmar Now in late March. As of April 23, the military council has reported 3,759 deaths from the earthquake, as well as 5,107 people injured and 114 missing.The military council declared a temporary ceasefire from April 2 to 22, ostensibly to facilitate rescue and recovery operations after the March 28 earthquake, and subsequently extended it until the end of the month. Despite the ceasefire, the military council has reportedly carried out more airstrikes in Myanmar since the earthquake, killing around 50 people. Pa Hto Taw Gyi pagoda damaged by earthquake (Photo: Moe Oo)

Min Kun residents displaced by fighting, ongoing danger of aftershocks

During ongoing clashes in Min Kun, Sagaing Township, a village impacted by last month's earthquake, junta forces have stationed some 200 troops nearby, using disaster response as a pretext for deployment

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