Myanmar junta troop movements force thousands to flee near ancient city of Bagan

Thousands of civilians have fled their homes in Mandalay Region’s Nyaung-U Township, home to the ancient city of Bagan, since three junta columns began converging in the area on Monday, according to local resistance forces. The columns, each with around 100 troops, originated in the town of Nyaung-U, the village of Taung Zin some 12 miles to the south, and the nearby Tet Ma oil fields, sources said. Despite facing landmine attacks and engaging in brief skirmishes, the junta columns have continued their advance with overwhelming force, according to a representative of the People’s Democratic Army (PDA), a resistance group active in the area. “The military doesn’t usually operate this aggressively around here, but this time their advance is unusually thorough. As a result, residents from nearly 30 villages have been forced to flee,” Oak Soe, the PDA representative, told Myanmar Now. He attributed the increase in military forces to a recent change of command in Nyaung-U, which also saw major troop movements late last month. While no civilian casualties have been reported, the column that set out from the Tet Ma oil field has done extensive damage to the village of Mon Taing, torching motorcycles and other vehicles, according to Oak Soe. The other two columns are also reportedly setting fires in the village of Kya Oh, he added. Recent heavy rains have also added to the misery of the displaced villagers, he said, as many have been unable to find shelter. Residents of Nyaung-U Township flee to safety as junta columns advanced into the area on June 24 (Photo: Supplied) “Because the villages are being invaded one after another, there’s nowhere left to escape to, so they’re seeking refuge in the forests. They’re forced to sleep on the wet ground, including mothers with infants as young as 20 days old,” he said. According to a resident of Bagan, the displaced villagers have also been prevented from entering the town of Nyaung-U due to tightened security measures. “There are ongoing inspections in the town, so it’s too dangerous for people from the villages to seek shelter there,” he said, adding that roads in the area have been closed to private vehicles. Earlier this month, a resistance group opened fire on a local leader of the pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia in a village near Bagan, killing seven people. In another incident on June 15, the principal of a junta-controlled school and her husband were assassinated in Nyaung Pin Kan, a village about 10 miles south of Nyaung-U. However, no group has claimed responsibility for these killings. So far, resistance fighters have refrained from firing within the old city of Bagan, which is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, although they accuse the junta of using it as a base of operations. On February 13, the regime carried out its first airstrike in the area, targeting villages about 15 miles south of Bagan.

Myanmar junta troop movements force thousands to flee near ancient city of Bagan

Three army columns, each with around 100 soldiers, have been converging in the area since Monday

Subscribe for full access

‘Will it be different this time, Grandson?’

Across a border and into a war: A Karenni leader’s final journey

When going home is impossible: Myanmar nationals find solace in Singapore’s Peninsula Plaza

The Russian general behind Moscow’s decades-long military courtship of Myanmar

Subscribe for full access

Related Articles

India court grants bail to US citizen accused of illegal entry

Two fishing boats destroyed as Myanmar military intensifies activity around Sittwe

Detained forced conscripts escape past drunk junta guards in Sagaing

Myanmar political prisoner Dein Daung dies after delayed medical treatment