Thousands flee as Myanmar regime forces raid villages near Bagan

Nearly 20,000 villagers have fled their homes in Magway Region’s Pakokku Township in recent weeks as junta troops carry out raids along the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River opposite Bagan, according to residents and aid groups. The military operation began on May 8, when a column of nearly 700 troops from Light Infantry Battalion 101 advanced from the town of Pakokku into the area around Myit Chay, a village about 18 miles to the southwest, local sources said. Residents said the offensive has triggered one of the largest waves of displacement the area has seen in recent years. “We’ve had to leave our homes before, but this time is the worst,” one local resident told Myanmar Now. “Everyone in the area has had to flee.” Civil society group Anyar Taw Ein said at least 19,100 people from more than 30 villages have been displaced. Many have taken shelter in nearby forests, while others are staying in temporary camps. Aid workers said displaced villagers face worsening humanitarian conditions, with shortages of food, medicine, and sanitation facilities. “What they mainly need are rice and cooking oil,” one aid worker said. “If displacement continues and becomes long-term, problems will arise with shelters and makeshift latrines.” He warned that overcrowded camps could face serious sanitation problems as existing latrine pits overflow and the number of facilities becomes insufficient. Children and elderly people among the displaced are also in need of medicines, particularly for dysentery and flu, according to aid workers, who said the approaching rainy season is increasing concerns about shelter and disease. Displaced civilians in Magway Region’s Pauk Township, seen in early May (Photo: Pauk Humanitarian Group) Residents and aid groups also accused junta troops of carrying out deadly attacks on civilians. On May 14, troops advancing through the Myit Chay area reportedly raided and burned the village of Htan Taw Chauk, located across the Ayeyarwady River from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bagan. Residents said a mother and her infant child who were unable to flee were shot dead and their bodies later burned. A member of Anyar Taw Ein confirmed the killings and said seven villages have been set ablaze since the military raids began, though the total number of homes destroyed remains unclear. “Residents from Htan Taw Chauk have been displaced since 2025,” the aid worker said. “Some later returned and rebuilt makeshift homes there. Then the junta troops returned and set fire to the village until all houses were burned down.” Clashes between local resistance forces and junta troops were continuing in the area, according to local sources. The violence has also heightened insecurity along the Popa-Bagan road, where reports of abductions have become increasingly common. Local resistance groups and the military have blamed each other for the incidents, but no group has claimed responsibility and authorities have taken no apparent action. Security concerns have also hurt tourism in Bagan, one of Myanmar’s most popular historical destinations, creating further hardship for residents who depend on visitors for income. The latest offensive comes as the military expands operations across Magway Region. Thousands of troops have also been deployed in nearby Pauk Township and in areas near the border between Chin State and the Yaw region of northern Magway. On May 18, troops stationed at a military munitions factory in Seikphyu reportedly advanced into Pauk Township, forcing nearly 6,500 residents from seven villages to flee, according to the National Unity Government’s local humanitarian relief department.

Thousands flee as Myanmar regime forces raid villages near Bagan

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