Villagers Flee as Junta Launches Unprovoked Airstrikes in Dawei Special Economic Zone

April 28, 2025

Suspecting that local armed resistance forces were sheltering in villages, junta forces launched aerial bomb attacks in the Nabule area of the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Yebyu Township on April 27, 2025. The bombings forced thousands of innocent civilians from at least five villages to flee urgently for their lives, according to local sources.

The villages most affected include Htain Gyi, Lae Shaung, Padarat, Yange, and Khamaung Chaung, with an estimated 3,000 residents displaced in a matter of hours.

Fighting reportedly began around 7:50 AM near the northwestern outskirts of Lae Shaung village, as junta troops clashed with resistance forces. By around 12:20 PM, junta aircraft dropped several bombs on the area without prior warning, triggering mass panic among villagers.

A local man from Nabule, who witnessed the attacks, recounted:

“Before, they would usually send spy planes or drones first. But this time, they just sent the bombers directly. We didn’t even have time to prepare — people just ran for their lives as soon as the bombs started falling. Now, more than 3,000 of us are displaced.”

He continued, his voice filled with uncertainty:

“I don’t think we’ll ever truly return. With economic projects like oil refineries and factories backed by foreign interests like Russia coming to this area, I doubt anyone can stop them from forcing us out.”

A 50-year-old local resident, U Mying Maung, confirmed that nearly 100 junta soldiers have been stationed in the area. For the past three days, junta forces have been preparing to build a temporary military outpost near Lae Shaung village.

These military escalations are taking place alongside the junta’s ongoing efforts to revive controversial development projects in the Dawei Deep Seaport area, after renewed talks with Russian partners earlier this year.

The suffering on the ground continues to deepen. A 40-year-old mother of three from Lae Shaung, now hiding with her children in the jungle, shared:

“Every time fighting breaks out, we flee into the forests. We’ve already escaped at least ten times. Some days, we survived three days without any food. Unlike in ERO-controlled areas, there are no humanitarian groups near us. If we run out of food, there’s no one left to help — we just starve.”

She explained that junta troops are known to arrest, kill civilians, and burn homes during their operations, leaving families constantly living in fear.

Across Dawei District, clashes between junta forces and resistance groups have been intensifying almost daily. Meanwhile, the junta’s restrictions on transporting food, construction materials, fuel, and medicine into Dawei town are creating even greater hardships for local communities.

With violence escalating and humanitarian needs growing more urgent, calls for international assistance and protection for displaced civilians are becoming increasingly desperate.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News