Thousands remain displaced as junta struggles to secure Nawnghkio

Thousands of civilians remain displaced in Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township, where renewed clashes have left the area unstable and unsafe, residents say.Despite junta calls urging people to return following its recapture of the town from the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in early July.“The military isn’t allowing us to stay inside our houses yet,” a Nawnghkio man told Myanmar Now. “They say it’s for our safety because they are still clearing the town.” “They have arranged for some displaced people to shelter in a monastery in Tawng Ward,” he added. Many residents displaced for over a year have expressed deep concerns about the town’s damaged infrastructure which was heavily affected by frequent junta aerial assaults. “The town is in a state of ruin,” another displaced man said. “Even the surrounding villages are empty. Almost all belongings have been stolen because of widespread burglaries and thefts.”In recent weeks, Myanmar’s military has been advancing toward Kyaukme and Hsipaw after retaking Nawnghkio from the TNLA, aiming to secure the vital Mandalay–Muse trade route. The renewed offensive has sparked fresh displacement as fighting escalates across northern Shan State. Returning would mean facing further hardship, according to local sources. As the area remains without electricity, phone service, or internet access. Despite having regained control of Nawnghkio’s southern areas, the military regime has struggled to secure the north. A driver familiar with the area told Myanmar Now that the township’s large size and scattered neighborhoods have made it difficult for regime forces to reestablish a full presence. “They haven’t been able to reassert control across the entire area,” he said. Pro-junta Telegram channels have claimed that schools in Nawnghkio are accepting student enrollments, although classes have yet to resume. Meanwhile, markets and shops across Nawnghkio remain closed, local sources told Myanmar Now. In mid-2024, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) took control of Nawnghkio after capturing two strategic junta bases: Light Infantry Battalions 114 and 115.Following the capture of the town, fighting persisted in the southern edge of Nawnghkio Township as anti-regime forces led by the TNLA continued to attack junta bases near Tawng Hkam village, around 18 miles south of Nawnghkio.Nawnghkio is home to 120,000 people from a mix of ethnic communities, according to the 2014 census, lies along a major trade corridor linking Mandalay, the second-largest city to Muse, a key border hub near China.On the other hand, the military regime has also strengthened its presence in southern Nawnghkio Township, blocking roads and forcing residents to flee from their homes.The military regime stepped up its counteroffensive, deploying thousands of troops backed by heavy shelling and aerial assaults to retake the town, following the collapse of China-facilitated negotiations with the TNLA in early 2025.Mon Mon, a resident from the village of Nam Hsawng Hu, is currently sheltering in Taunggyi, southern Shan State’s capital. She hopes to return home with her two teenage daughters, who have put their education on hold to help support the family. “If the fighting stops and we can return to normal life, living in peace, then we will come back,” she said. “But we heard that there are some skirmishes south of our village. So, many of us are monitoring the situation before returning home."

Thousands remain displaced as junta struggles to secure Nawnghkio

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