Myanmar junta bombs villages in flood-hit Tanintharyi Region

Myanmar’s military bombed at least four villages in Tanintharyi Region’s Thayetchaung Township on Thursday, taking advantage of devastating floods to advance into the area, according to local resistance sources. Two junta aircraft dropped five bombs near the villages of Sinkyun, Kyaukpyin, Laba, and Pitaing, all located south of Thayetchaung town near the No. 8 Union Highway, the sources said. “They dropped bombs with aircraft and fired with machine guns. Right now, communication lines are cut off, so contact has been lost,” said Saw Dah Ko, an officer of Tactical Unit 33 of the People's Defence Forces' (PDF) southern military command. Flooding has caused significant damage across Launglon, Dawei, Yebyu, and Thayetchaung townships in Dawei District over the past week, killing at least 34 people while hundreds remain missing. As internet connection has been severed, it is difficult to verify the extent of damage caused by regime airstrikes, resistance members said. Civil society groups are facing extreme difficulties in carrying out rescue work in the four townships, where heavy rains over the weekend caused landslides and flash flooding. Dawei resistance forces also said their members were working to support flood-affected locals. During Thursday’s airstrike, a humanitarian relief team operating in the flood area in Thayetchaung narrowly escaped, according to a rescue team member. Taking advantage of a situation like this when the public is already suffering from a disaster is an inhumane act, said Min Htet, the alliance relations officer for Tactical Unit 33. He said that while the junta’s battalion headquarters and camps across Dawei District were also submerged and damaged by water, resistance forces had ceased military operations during this period out of humanitarian considerations. “At the request of the public and based on our own principles, we see taking advantage of this period as morally wrong. We have not taken advantage of the situation to expand military operations or territory,” he said. Members of the Launglon Township Public Security Organisation, under the National Unity Government, conduct flood relief operations (Photo: Hein Htet / Facebook) As of Thursday evening, the regime had not issued any statement on the attacks, or responded to inquiries. However, junta columns are currently advancing south of Thayetchaung under the pretext of flood relief. Min Htet warned that if the regime attempted to take advantage of the situation to conduct military offensives in the area, retaliatory action would be taken. Heavy fighting also broke out between regime and resistance forces in flood-hit Yebyu Township late last week due to junta columns’ advances, sources there said. Launglon Township, which suffered the most severe damage from the floods, has a strong resistance presence. The PDF’s Tactical Unit 33 warned that junta troops were also attempting to seize this opportunity and infiltrate resistance-controlled areas by disguising themselves as local residents. Resistance forces said they have warned rescue and aid teams heading to Launglon and Thayetchaung townships about the presence of junta troops in the area. The Myanmar regime has frequently exploited natural disasters to further their military endeavors, including carrying out airstrikes in the aftermath of the March 2025 earthquake. This year, regime airstrikes during flood recovery operations in Rakhine State, Chin State, and Sagaing Region killed nine people, including a three-year-old child, and injured many others. A flood-damaged home in Thayetchaung Township on September 30 (Photo: Ashin Thihanyana / Facebook)

Myanmar junta bombs villages in flood-hit Tanintharyi Region

As residents grapple with the aftermath of flooding that left over 30 people dead, the junta is bombing affected villages in an attempt to advance into the area, resistance sources say

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