July 2024: Monthly Overview of the Human Rights Situation

August 1, 2024

Attacks on Information Threaten Civilian Right to Safety, Security, and Protection in Southeastern Burma

The military junta is fueling a war on all fronts. Attacks against civilians include the suppression of information flows and the right to access life-saving channels of knowledge through social media and other media platforms on the Internet. Their attempted censorship is because the junta knows the injustices they are committing and fears the circulation of their widespread crimes against innocent people.

For many years, Burma’s human rights issues were largely hidden from the world. Taking advantage of limited internet access, the regime committed numerous violations in continuous defiance of the law. The younger generation has rejected military rule and is actively fighting for their rights through protests and other methods. The Burma Army relies on weapons, not ethics.

Burma was placed 176th out of 180 countries for press freedom in 2023 by Reporters Without Borders. This alarming rank reflects the junta’s severe actions against the media, targeting even citizen journalists who now encounter increased violence. Numerous journalists are still held captive, with fatalities while exposing the junta’s crimes.

Download the report in PDF [Eng | Burmese]

In mid-July, the military regime in Burma prohibited the popular messaging app Signal. Signal is widely favoured for its robust end-to-end encryption, which ensures the utmost privacy. It is a go-to choice for activists, NGOs, and human rights advocates in Burma to conduct their work securely and does not require a virtual private network to connect. The junta began restricting its use on July 15, accusing users of communicating with resistance groups.

Immediately after the failed coup, the Burmese Army restricted access to Facebook to hinder organizing efforts, emphasizing the ongoing challenges for the people in Burma.

In areas covered by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), such as Mon State, Karen State, and the Tanintharyi region, civilians continuously encounter threats to their safety. The military regime promotes and enforces a dystopian environment characterized by extensive surveillance and frequent violations of privacy rights.

The military junta has intensified its surveillance and arrests of Signal App users in Mawlamyine, Mon State. According to local sources, on July 24, junta soldiers and police officers began strictly monitoring and detaining individuals using it.

Following these restrictions, junta forces have increased checks on pedestrians and motorists at critical locations such as Zaygyo Road, the road to Kyaikmaraw, and the Daik Win roundabout in Mawlamyine.

A resident reported, “The junta forces stopped a friend of mine. They found the Signal App on his phone and extorted 100,000 kyat from him. Now, people carry an empty phone when they go out.”

In recent days, residents have faced intensified phone checks, with junta forces targeting Signal App, VPN, and Google users for arrest and extortion. “Signal App now requires a VPN to send messages; even VPN connections are often blocked. If they find these applications during checks, they demand money. People are forced to delete all software or carry two phones – one for home and one for going out,” explained a local woman working in Mawlamyine.

A local technician with the Civil Disobedience Movement elaborated:

“The junta is committed to cutting off news and communication. They are likely using various technologies, possibly from China, such as IP blocking and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). This allows them to inspect data packets moving to and from devices, enabling their intelligence units to detect and stop VPN usage. They also use port blocking to prevent VPN communication. This makes it crucial to be extremely cautious when sharing news or communicating about sensitive topics. The junta is known to arrest and impose long prison sentences under various charges and existing laws.”

In May, the junta also restricted internet usage and blocked VPNs to control the flow of information and hinder news dissemination. These actions have resulted in frequent phone and internet disruptions, severely impacting online businesses, education, and social activities.

The Mon State junta’s intensified surveillance and restrictions on Signal App and internet usage in Mawlamyine have significantly impacted local inhabitants’ rights to information and privacy. The increased monitoring and arbitrary arrests for using secure communication technology violate privacy rights. The junta’s actions not only intimidate residents but also stifle communication and access to information, which is critical in a democratic society.

These measures have created an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the population, forcing many to take extreme precautions in their daily lives. The disruption of internet services and blocking of VPNs have crippled the ability of locals to engage in online economic activities, access educational resources, and maintain social connections, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Mon State.

HURFOM fieldworkers have also noticed declining access to vital media tools like messaging applications. Despite this, the people of Burma demonstrate resilience by sharing conflict-affected communities’ experiences to support justice advocacy.

In Ye Township, Mon State, the military regime has implemented more rigorous inspections, including heightened vehicle checks in the township and villages and thorough inspections of vehicles entering and leaving the city.

“All entrances and exits are full of soldiers,” a local told HURFOM.

Moreover, the military regime performs daily inspections of residences and phones to search for weapons and ammunition with the assistance of police-trained dogs. Routine scrutiny of guest lists is undertaken, leading to arrests in cases where the lists were not disclosed.

The junta has also increased patrols and inspections around Ye City’s Public Hospital, Ta Pa Lin Hnit Su Road, the Aung Thone Aung neighbourhood intersection, near the train tracks in Ye, and in villages including Chaung Taung, Mokkanin, Arr Yu Taung, Old Kyone Long, Ah Sin, Kwin Shay, Kyaung Ywar, Sone Natar, and Paw Thaw.

The regime’s effort to suppress channels sharing evidence of its violence aims to protect against international accountability using videos and photos.

The human rights situation is unstable due to continuous junta attacks, harming innocent villagers. HURFOM data shows that in June and early July 2024, three civilians died, and fifteen, including children, were injured in artillery attacks.

The junta has avoided consequences due to a culture of impunity. Local people are disappointed by the delayed international response in holding the Burma Army accountable because of the absence of effective domestic accountability measures. Unprovoked attacks aim to spread terror.

The junta attacked five villages in the Tanintharyi region and Pu Law townships in Myeik District without any fighting. One civilian was killed, and more than ten were injured. One house was also destroyed.

On June 27th, at noon, the junta used K8W jet fighters to bomb Ban Lin village in the Ta Ku village tract, Tha Mee Hla village, and Kwal Htain Kone villages. At least ten bombs were dropped in Kwal Htain Kone village, with some falling in the fields west of Tha Mee Hla village in the oil palm forest behind Ban Lin village.

A 6-year-old boy was injured, and a house was damaged in the bombing. Additionally, the junta bombarded Bal Ma De village in the Tha Min Ma Sar village tract by air.

“There was no fighting. The junta deliberately came and dropped the bombs. There are no revolutionary groups in those places. One person died,” said a local woman.

The identity of the man killed in the airstrike and the number of injured, as well as the exact villages affected, are still being investigated.

On June 13, in Tanintharyi Township, the junta bombed Ta Ku village with an MI-2 helicopter, injuring a 12-year-old boy. From June 19th to June 22nd, after junta troops from the Kyauk Long Gyi camp fled and were ambushed, the junta began using air raids to attack strong revolutionary areas.

This year, HURFOM has documented frequent airstrikes by the junta in Tanintharyi, Yebyu, Tha Yat Chaung, and Dawei Townships. In a separate incident, the military once again attacked civilians unprovoked.

In Hnit Ka Yin village, Lamine Township, Ye Township, Mon State, artillery shells fired by the junta’s artillery units hit and exploded, damaging three houses near a train station and injuring three locals, including a 13-year-old child.

At 6 PM on June 27, the junta’s 317th artillery battalion, based in Mokanin village, launched five artillery shells into Hnit Ka Yin village without any prior conflict.

“There was no fighting. They just fired artillery shells into the village. The junta’s troops were randomly shooting. When it hit the houses, the people inside were injured by the explosion,” a local said.

The three injured individuals were taken to Lamine Township Hospital with the assistance of emergency social relief groups.

Due to the explosion of the artillery shells on and around the houses, 13-year-old Maung Maung suffered a severed finger, 59-year-old Daw Yin Shwe sustained an abdominal wound, and 37-year-old Daw Sein Moe injured her right arm.

The junta’s attacks are continuing to have devastating impacts on conflict-affected communities. Throughout the last month, HURFOM reported on several cases with mounting injuries and deaths of internally displaced people (IDP), among who the majority are women and children.

A woman died, and three others were injured after artillery shelling by the junta’s police station in Pala Town, Pu Law Township, Myeik District, Tanintharyi Region on June 28. The shelling, once again, occurred without any prior fighting.

At 9 AM., the junta’s police station in Pala Town launched two artillery shells. One of the shells hit and exploded near a shop at the three-way intersection in Pala Town. Daw San Yu, a woman in her 40s who was inside the shop, died due to the explosion. Another two women in their 40s and a man who was near the shop were also injured.

A few weeks before this attack, an artillery shell fired by the military junta’s naval headquarters in Mawrawaddy exploded on a house in Yar Phu village, Yebyu Township, killing four family members, including an infant.

Then, on June 29th, a novice monk was killed, and a woman was injured by artillery fire from Battalion 310 in Thane Zayat Township, Kyaik Hto Township, Mon State. A shell fired by Artillery Battalion 310 under junta control struck the Dhamma Duta Monastery, causing casualties.

This incident followed a similar tragedy on June 14th, when a shell fired by Artillery Battalion 310 exploded, killing a 14-year-old girl named Ma Nandar Lin and injuring a one-and-a-half-year-old girl named Shwe Zin Lay. On the same day, four people, including two monks, were injured by artillery fire from junta troops in the village of Kha Kwal.

Furthermore, Artillery Battalion 310 and other military units under junta control frequently launch artillery shells into villages where civilians live. On June 3rd, an artillery mortar landed in Mok Kha Maw village in Thane Zayat, injuring a resident. On June 2, artillery fire destroyed two houses in Wa Duk Kwin village in Thane Zayat.

On the morning of July 10, Ma Thet Htar San, a 15-year-old girl also known as Wine Wine Lay, was killed by junta troops in Ta Pyar village, Laung Lone Township, Dawei District. Ma Thet Htar San’s family came out of hiding after the clashes. Then, the junta troops shot at her.

In another incident where a woman was killed, artillery fire killed Daw Mee Nge, a 42-year-old resident of East Maw Tone’s Coastal-2 village. There was no fighting in the area when the junta deployed shells. No. 06 Artillery Battalion of the junta, based in Tanintharyi Township, Myeik District, carried out the attack.

Around noon on July 15, approximately seven artillery shells were fired into the Maw Tone village tract.

“She was in her father’s house in Anda Pyin village when the artillery shell hit,” a local source reported. Daw Mee Nge succumbed to head, chest, and arm injuries from the first shell explosion in the afternoon.

Just two days earlier, on July 13, the military junta conducted an airstrike on the villages of Western Thara-Phon and Pawa in Tanintharyi Township, injuring two civilians.

At the end of June, HURFOM’s latest volume of ‘Voice Up’ also presented evidence of the rise in targeted gendered attacks. Furthermore, a new report released by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar on the gendered impacts of the coup found, “The threat of sexual and gender-based violence is a dark shadow that follows women, girls, and LGBT people throughout Myanmar.”

The ongoing rise of attacks against women, children, and young people should be a significant concern for the international community. The lack of justice referral pathways in Burma has made it impossible to achieve justice and accountability. Furthermore, transparent, coordinated, and decisive actions must be organized in collaboration with local organizations to ensure the junta’s crimes can be tried in international legal systems.

Abductions and enforced disappearances are also on the rise. These abductions reinforce the ongoing fears of many men and women who dare not return to their villages for fear of their lives if confronted by the junta. According to HURFOM documentation, those abducted by the junta are often forced to guide Burma Army soldiers through unfamiliar areas and are then either shot or tortured to death.

U Myat Min, a Ka Main Ka Htaw village resident in the Wae Kha Mee village tract, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, has been missing for over six months. He disappeared on December 25, 2023. The 38-year-old, who had recently married, ran a small shop with his wife, selling cold drinks, tea, and snacks in front of a rubber factory near Kone Myint Thar village in the Alaesakan village tract.

On the day he went missing, U Myat Min received a phone call asking him to meet someone outside briefly. He left immediately after the call and has not been seen since. As of June 28, there has been no trace of him.

“He didn’t tell me anything. He just went out and disappeared that day. It’s been a long time now. We don’t know if he is dead or alive,” a close family member reported.

On June 28, a group of at least ten people were abducted by junta troops while heading towards the deep sea port from Zar De village in Yebyu Township. The body of a male villager from Khaung Pyan village was found.

Junta troops were on a route of a clearance mission near Khway Ma Phaw village. They encountered a joint force of the U-Aww column, the Nagar Ni group, and the YPDF. Following clashes on the morning of June 29, a man named Ko Naing Naing was abducted.

By July 1st, Ko Naing Naing, a villager from Khaung Pyan, had been killed by the Junta. Consequently, residents of the Zar Dee village tract fled to safer areas. Ko Naing Naing’s body, around 40 years old, was discovered on the afternoon of July 3 near the old cemetery of Khaung Pyan village, floating in a stream.

The body had stab wounds to the abdomen, a fractured forehead, and other facial injuries, indicating he had been tortured. Witnesses described the body as being anchored with a wooden log to prevent it from drifting away.

Ko Naing Naing was captured along with ten other villagers on the evening of July 1 while briefly returning to feed pigs at a farm, where he had been hiding from the advancing junta column.

“We couldn’t bring the body into the village or to a cemetery. We had to bury him immediately in the sandbanks. His wife didn’t get to see the body. The junta is still stationed in Zar Dee,” said a Khaung Pyan resident.

There are also reports of five villagers from the Maw Pagoda area, Kha Yin Chaung village, Yebyu Township, who were killed.

“There are allegedly five bodies at the Takayoke Mining site. No one has dared to go and see them yet,” the resident added.

The news of the five killings was also reported on July 1, and further investigations are ongoing to confirm the update. The ten villagers abducted by the Junta ranged in age from 14 to over 60.

After the June 28 clash at the entrance road to Khway Ma Phaw village, the junta columns from the Zar Dee village tract and Yebyu Township joined forces on July 3 in the area of Bawa village in the deep seaport area.

The junta raided houses along the roadside in Zar Dee, Khaung Pyan, and Diek Ta Kaw villages. Another troop remained in Zar Dee, continuing to abduct and kill villagers, causing those remaining to flee to safety.

At least 13 villagers have been arrested, with some killed and others missing, in Yebyu Township. In the second week of July, junta troops entered Yebyu Township, capturing and killing several villagers while leaving others unaccounted for.

Residents from the Zar Dee village tract, located in the Kan Bauk area and Dawei Special Economic Zone, reported the abductions and subsequent killings.

Within the Dawei Special Economic Zone, arrests and killings have occurred, and civilians have sustained injuries from gunfire. On July 1st, a young man, age 20 years old, from Kha Maung Chaung village, was arrested when junta troops entered the Dawei Special Economic Zone. As of July 7th, he was not released and was seen in a military uniform following the junta column.

On July 5th, junta troops also abducted six men from Mu Du village. Their whereabouts are still being investigated. As of July 7th, junta forces were reported to be in Zar Dee, Pa Ya, Pa Kaw Zun, and Nyaung Pin Seik villages, moving throughout Yebyu Township and the Dawei Special Economic Zone.

A few days later, on the morning of July 9, a young man riding a bicycle was stopped and arrested by junta troops at the Oak Tada Bridge junction after his phone was checked.

At 10 PM on July 12, junta troops captured two men from Myaung Palae ward, one man from Kyauk Maw ward, another man from Kyet Sa Pyin ward, and several men from Daung Ngu ward at their homes.

“Junta forces and police officers arrived in around ten military vehicles. They surrounded a house in Myaung Palae ward before arresting the people inside,” a resident of Myaung Palae ward reported.

The arrests included a young man and an older man from the Myaung Palae ward suspected of being connected with the PDF. The older man was taken because his son was not present, and his wife was assaulted during the raid.

Two of the arrested victims were released on July 10 and 11. However, as of July 13, the young man arrested in Kyauk Maw ward, the young man captured at the Oak Tada Bridge junction, the man from Kyet Sa Pyin ward, and several men from Daung Ngu ward had not been released.

In mid-June, amid tight security, the PDF and Daung Nyi Naung column planted mines at the Oak Tada Bridge intersection in central Dawei. Following the mine incident, the junta increased security measures, frequently patrolling and tightening security at junta-controlled offices.

Indiscriminate violence remains an ongoing threat to survival in the everyday lives of local people. In Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, more than 3,000 residents from the Pya Taung area have been forced to flee their homes due to ongoing military shelling, which began on June 27 and has been carried out daily by military units stationed at the Sabe Cave Monastery.

The artillery fire targeted several villages, including Kaw Doon, Kaw Panaw, Kaw Wan, Wae Nae, Kwan Ngan Mae Krow, and Kadon Si, causing mass displacement.

A local explained, “The main targets have been Kaw Doon and Kaw Panaw Villages because there are checkpoints in the area. With the increased military activity and the presence of aircraft, villagers are preemptively evacuating, anticipating possible airstrikes. Most residents have fled, leaving only a few to guard the homes.”

Many of those currently displaced had previously fled their homes in March due to conflict but had returned to their villages before the recent escalation. Although the shelling has resulted in explosions near villages, there have been no reports of casualties or property damage yet.

The displaced residents are seeking refuge in safe areas, including Mawlamyine, central Kyaikmayaw, and nearby villages with gardens and fields. Some have even crossed into Thailand. In addition, towards the end of June, the military reinforced its presence by deploying two military trucks and stationing troops near Tarana and Alaeik Kone villages, further exacerbating the situation.

Another unprovoked attack took place on July 20th, when the military junta launched a reckless artillery attack on Nyaung Zin village, Tha Yet Chaung Township, Tanintharyi Region, resulting in the death of a civilian. The victim, U Myo Lwin, was a 60-year-old resident of the northern part of Nyaung Zin village. He was grazing his cattle on a farm behind his house when artillery fire struck, hitting him in the abdomen and killing him instantly.

Political prisoners continue to face unmatched brutality in the confines of the junta-backed prisons where there is no oversight to hold perpetrators of the violence accountable. On June 25, five political prisoners at Kyaikmayaw Central Prison in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, were brutally beaten by prison authorities and placed in solitary confinement.

Ko Lwin Way Aung, Ko Aung Zaw Min, Ko Nyi Nyi, Ko Zar Ni Aung, and Ko Nanda Lin Aung were accused of using mobile phones. They were apprehended at night by Prison Chief Kyaw Zin Aung and twenty other prison staff. The detainees were beaten with rubber sticks and shot at with slingshots.

“They were forcefully taken away. Now, they are held in solitary confinement, banned from accepting parcels, and prohibited from meeting visitors,” said a former political prisoner.

The five prisoners have been charged under Burmese criminal acts #61 and #224, as reported by the Political Prisoner Network Myanmar (PPNM).

The systematic violence in Southeastern Burma and other parts of the country is causing distress and trauma among groups affected by conflict. While individuals strive to survive, the oppressive regime interacts with global organizations, like ASEAN, which have consistently neglected to hold the regime accountable. The world must acknowledge and address the crimes committed by the unlawful regime, emphasizing that everyone must abide by the law.

Karen State

Over 130 people have been killed due to human rights violations committed by junta troops within KNU-administered areas from January to June 2024, according to information released by the Karen National Union (KNU) Central Committee.

The junta troops committed over 2,300 human rights abuses against local people in Kawthoolei-administered areas during these six months. These crimes include airstrikes, drone attacks, shelling, and planting landmines, destroying over 1,000 homes.

A total of 134 locals were killed, and 439 were injured. Over 100 people were arrested, and dozens were forcibly used as porters due to various human rights violations committed by the junta. Additionally, the junta destroyed 23 monasteries, 14 schools, two clinics, and two hospitals, along with over 1,024 homes, using airstrikes, drones, and artillery attacks.

More than one million people have been displaced during the military coup due to deliberate acts of crime and violence committed by junta troops against civilians, as reported by the KNU Central Committee.

Within the KNU’s Kawthoolei-administered areas, there have been 1,827 battles between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA/KNDO) and allied revolutionary forces against junta troops. During these battles, 1,903 junta soldiers were killed, and 12,275 were injured. On the side of the KNLA/KNDO and allied revolutionary forces, 81 fighters were killed, and 298 were wounded.

“Every armed group is responsible for protecting their people. But the junta’s army is intentionally and publicly destroying people’s lives and residences,” said Ba Dho Saw Aye Nine, the spokesperson of the Thaton District of the KNU Administration.

According to a township-level administrative member from the KNU in Kyauk Kyi Township, Bago District, KNU Brigade 3, indiscriminate artillery shelling and airstrikes by Junta forces resulted in the deaths of 16 civilians during June. Kyauk Kyi Township, located in Nyaung Lay Bin District of Bago Region, is under the control of KNU Brigade 3.

Network human rights documentation teams also reported that the Junta’s infantry battalions (LIB 264, IB 60) and light infantry battalions (LIB 307, IB 20) stationed in Kyauk Kyi Township fired over 150 artillery rounds and conducted airstrikes without any direct clashes, leading to significant civilian casualties.

“The junta forces have primarily relied on artillery and air power in the past month. Villages located west of the Sittaung River (which divides Bago and Mon State) are forced to flee due to the shelling. Drones, artillery, and jet aircraft are being heavily utilized,” said a township-level administrator from KNU Brigade 3.

Based on information from the KNU, junta forces are currently positioned near Kone Myint Tharyar village through Saw Hti Township, resulting in ongoing military tensions with KNU allied forces.

The use of artillery and airstrikes by junta forces has also forced residents from eight villages in Kyauk Kyi Township and the western side of the Sittaung River to flee their homes. Since the coup, military offensives have displaced a total of 500,000 civilians in Nyaunglebin District by the end of May.

At least ten local villagers have been abducted and used as human shields by military junta troops advancing towards Kyaik Hto Township, Thaton District, which is under the control of KNU Brigade 1.

Since July 18, a regiment of over 200 soldiers has been operating through the KNU Kyaik Hto Township villages, conducting a so-called “clearance operation.” As the troops move from village to village, they have been arresting locals they encounter along the way, including residents of Zee Pyaung and Pain Ne Kone villages, using them as human shields.

“They are abducting everyone they meet on their way,” reported a local from Pain Ne Kone.

In Thein Zayat Township, Mon State, the military’s shelling caused deaths and injuries in Ywa Lay village. On July 22, at noon, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People’s Defense Force (PDF) jointly attacked the Thein Zayat police station with six 40mm artillery shells.

Fifteen minutes later, the junta’s No. 310 Artillery Regiment Command, based in Thein Zayat, indiscriminately fired at least five artillery shells into surrounding villages. One of the shells exploded near the home of 47-year-old U Lin Sit Thu in Ywa Lay village.

“Shortly after the police station was attacked, we heard continuous artillery explosions. The woman who died was four months pregnant. Her husband died immediately,” said a resident of Ywa Lay.

The shelling also injured their neighbour, 41-year-old Daw Yin Wai Lwin, who sustained a head injury from the shrapnel. She is currently receiving treatment at Thein Zayat Hospital.

Residents of Thein Zayat have frequently been victims of indiscriminate shelling by junta forces during the ongoing conflict. These attacks have resulted in numerous fatalities, forced displacements, and widespread human rights abuses.

Mon State

In Mon State’s Kyaikhto Township, shelling by the junta injured five locals, including children. On July 6, at 3:30 PM, the junta forces stationed in Maung Tu Kone, Ta-kae Chaung village, fired shells toward the town of Hnet-Pyaw-Taw, Kyaikhto.

One of the shells struck the Zee Kone area of Hnet-Pyaw-Taw village, injuring five people, including an eight-year-old child, reported a resident:

“The shells landed near the rubber plantation areas. The injuries occurred mostly to migrant worker families and local children collecting rubber latex. Thankfully, the injuries were not severe,” the resident said.

The injured include eight-year-old Aung Thae Phyu, eleven-year-old Chit Min Khant, and fifty-two-year-old Daw Khin Thet Oo.

Residents report that the junta frequently shells Hnet-Pyaw-Taw village, known for revolutionary troop movements. On the night of June 4, junta forces stationed in Take Chaung fired shells into Dhat Pyao Taw village, injuring one man, damaging two houses and striking two cows.

Ground reports indicate that in June alone, incidents of shelling, landmine explosions, and clearance operations resulted in ten deaths and 26 injuries in Kyaikhto township.

Many displaced individuals struggle to maintain their livelihoods, with some attempting to return to inspect their crops. Unfortunately, junta patrols in these areas have been firing at civilians without warning.

“He was shot on the road while returning on his motorcycle after loading betel nuts,” said a local familiar with the incident.

The victim, U Naing Win, a 58-year-old resident of Ayu-Taung village, was shot on the afternoon of July 8th while returning from his farm. U Naing Win suffered at least five gunshot wounds and died at the scene.

Clashes between junta troops and resistance forces near Ayu-Taung village have occurred frequently. Additionally, the junta troops often set up ambushes in the surrounding areas, and civilians travelling on the roads have been frequently shot at.

On July 15, armed clashes erupted near Sa Kan Gyi village in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, forcing some residents to evacuate. There were casualties on both sides during the conflict.

The fighting began around noon, lasting nearly 20 minutes when over 100 soldiers from the military junta advanced. Before the battle, a member of the Taung Nyo force and a male informant, who had been sent to gather information on the advancing military column, were captured and subsequently killed.

The clash between the advancing junta troops and the Taung Nyo joint forces resulted in the deaths of three junta soldiers and injuries to five others. After the fighting, junta troops marched towards Sa Kan Gyi village and Thet Kaw village, causing some residents to flee their homes.

“Residents of Sa Kan Gyi village fled. Some residents of Thet Kaw village also ran from their homes,” reported a resident from Thanbyuzayat.

Since July, junta troops have been conducting operations under the pretext of clearing the area in regions of Thanbyuzayat Township where joint revolutionary forces are stationed.

Airstrikes pose a deadly threat to civilians who can do little to avoid being hit, especially as most of the attacks take place without active conflict. At 10 AM on July 19, the military junta dropped bombs on a village monastery located at the road junction between Nga Pu Inn and Hlaw Sin Gone villages in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State. This air assault resulted in the deaths of more than 20 civilians and injured numerous residents.

The local villagers, along with members of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People’s Defense Force (PDF), were preparing for the “Warso Saffron” donation when the junta dropped five bombs, believed to be 500-pound bombs, on the monastery.

The explosion killed over 20 civilians and 10 resistance fighters, with the exact number of injured villagers still unconfirmed. Local rescue teams were searching for missing villagers and providing emergency assistance.

On July 22, at 2 PM, revolutionary joint forces attacked Thane Zayat police station with no less than seven artillery shells. Following the attack, as the revolutionary joint troops retreated, the 310th Artillery Battalion stationed in Thane Zayat indiscriminately launched artillery shells.

The artillery shells launched by the 310th Artillery Battalion hit and exploded in Thane Zayat town, causing the death of a local villager, Ko Lin Sit Thu, in his 30s, and injuring two women. The deceased and the two injured women were transported to Thane Zayat Hospital with the assistance of a social relief group.

Since the first week of July, clashes have occurred in Kyike Hto Township as the junta’s troops launched military operations into villages controlled by revolutionary forces. From January to June, at least 52 civilians were killed and over 108 injured in Mon State due to artillery shelling and landmines by the junta troops.

Another devastating attack took place on the morning of July 23rd at 9 AM when six local villagers were killed and twelve injured due to an artillery attack by junta troops during the battle in Pyin Kadoe Kone village tract, Kyaik Hto Township, Mon State.

A clash broke out between advancing junta troops and the joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People’s Defense Force (PDF) near Kyauk Tan Lay village in Pyin Kadoe Kone village tract. During the fighting, the junta’s 602 Artillery Battalion of the Kyaik Hto-based military junta launched over 50 artillery shells, including howitzers, in support.

“The artillery fire was over 50 rounds. It was deafening for the entire day. During the battle, workers were running for their lives. Some of the deceased were unrecognizable, just in pieces. You couldn’t even tell they were people,” a local from Pyin Kadoe Kone described.

The attack resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including 18-year-olds Maung Soe Htet Paing and Maung Chit Ko, 20-year-olds Maung Ngein Chan Aung and Maung Aung Zin Thwe, and 29-year-old Ko Htun Htun Win, all locals and gold mine workers.

Additionally, twelve locals, including 24-year-old Ma Aye Sanda, 36-year-old Ma Ei Phyu, and 41-year-old Ko Hla Htun Aung, were injured, with two in critical condition.

Regarding the incident, Padoh Saw Aye Naing, a spokesperson for the Karen National Union (KNU) in Thaton District, stated, “The military junta is continually committing acts of terrorism and human rights violations daily.”

The Pyin Kadoe Kone village tract, heavily targeted by continuous artillery fire during the battle, is under the administration of the KNU’s Thaton District and primarily engages in gold mining and horticulture.

In Kyaik Hto Township, in addition to the battles this month, at least sixteen civilians have been killed and over thirty-two injured due to day and night artillery assaults from the junta troops.

Tanintharyi Region

Since June 18, 2024, a regiment of approximately 200 troops has conducted military operations in villages within Yebyu Township, Dawei, displacing over 10,000 residents.

The junta’s operations targeted the villages of Zar D, Khaung Pyan, Dike Ta Kor, Kyauk Hta Yan, Khway Ma Phaw, Kha Yin Chaung, and Pa Ya in the Yebyu area, as well as A Ka Ni, Kha Maung Chaung, Lell Shaung, Ba War, Para Dat, Htein Gyi, and Ya Line in the Na Bu Lell area.

“Entire villages have fled in Zar D, Khaung Pyan, Khway Ma Phaw, Kha Yin Chaung, and Kyauk Hta Yan. Half of Pa Ya had to flee. In the remaining villages, residents return only when the military leaves but flee again when the regiment re-enters,” said a resident of the Zar D village tract.

Displaced individuals from 14 villages have sought refuge in Dawei City, nearby plantations, forests, hills, and monasteries in the Kan Bauk area. Many remain stranded in the villages.

“With the onset of the rainy season, we are struggling with food and healthcare. Previously, we could return home during the daytime, but now we dare not return at all,” a resident reported.

Junta forces have burned down and destroyed two houses in Zar D village and arrested eight villagers.

On July 19, two clashes occurred near Kyal Taung in the Nyin Maw village tract between junta troops advancing from Long Lone, with around one hundred soldiers, and the People’s Defense Forces.

In the afternoon of July 19, after the clashes, junta troops burned down three houses in Yin Bote village within the Nyin Maw village tract.

“They chose and burned down the largest and best houses in the village. They set fire to houses near the clash site,” said a local man from Long Lone.

The troops spent the night in Auk Ye Phyu village and continued marching south of Long Lone on the morning of July 20. When they departed, they released more than ten locals detained in Nyin Maw village.

On July 21, villagers from Nyin Maw, Gawt In, Sit Pyal, Auk Ye Phyu, Kadet Kyi, Kadet Nge, and nearby areas fled to safer places. While moving from village to village, the junta interrogated and detained locals they encountered.

Throughout July, the troops advancing from Dawei to Long Lone Township have been arresting and interrogating locals in each village they enter.

Worryingly, the junta has also positioned itself in areas close to schools. On July 14, after launching military operations in Tha Byar, Ra Hong Wad, and Pan Da Lell villages, Long Lone Township, Tenasserim Division, approximately 80 junta troops reached the Long Lone Town Police Station and scattered their forces across the town. The regiment has stationed itself at schools and routinely entered and searched the residents’ houses.

On July 19, approximately 80 troops from the military junta stationed in Long Lone Town, Tanintharyi, launched a military operation targeting Nyin Maw and Nyin Boat villages. The operation resulted in an armed clash with the People Defense Force at the entrance road to T Zit Beach, near Nyin Boat village.

Following the clash, the junta troops burned down three houses in Nyin Maw village, Launglon Township, western Dawei.

“Before the clash, they arrested eight migrant workers from Nyin Maw village and seized nine motorbikes. They burned down the houses after the clash in Nyin Boat. All the arrested individuals have now been released,” said a Nyin Maw resident.

The junta troops also shot a 30-year-old man from Nyin Maw village and stole motorbikes and other valuables from the empty houses of those who had fled.

Indiscriminate firing by junta troops resulted in the deaths of a Buddhist Monk and a civilian and severely injured a woman in a residential area on the eastern bank of Yebyu Township, Dawei District.

On July 22, at 3 PM, the Yebyu People’s Defense Force (YPPDF) and the Dawei National Liberation Army (DNLA) Battalion (1) jointly attacked a junta military vehicle, leading to a 15-minute clash, as reported by the YPPDF.

Following this encounter, the troops fired indiscriminately at a residential area, killing 48-year-old U Thet Swe, who was riding a motorcycle out of his yard. Similarly, Daw Jet, who was running a betel nut shop near a food stall in Yebyu, was injured by the shooting. At the betel nut shop, a monk in his 40s buying betel nuts was also hit and sustained serious injuries. The monk died while receiving treatment at Dawei General Hospital on the morning of July 24 due to severe injuries.

“The bullet struck his spine. His stomach injuries caused his intestines to spill out. He died while receiving treatment,” a local man said.

Daw Jet, who sustained an arm injury, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Yangon.

From July 22 to 23, junta forces arbitrarily arrested at least seven villagers in Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region. Soldiers stationed at Mya-Khar-Pat Monastery in Kadat-Gyi Village arrested three men and two women from Pyin Chaung village.

The three men were released on July 23, but the two women were detained further due to alleged transportation records found on their phones. On July 23, the junta troops conducted raids in Kadat Nge and Nyin-Boat villages, arresting five more villagers.

Currently, junta soldiers have set up camp in several homes in Nyin Maw village, some of which they are also looting and destroying.

“A vehicle from Launglon police station arrived and took the seven detainees—three from Kadat Nge, two from Nyin-Boat, and two from Pyin Chaung—to the Launglon police station,” stated a local from Launglon Township.

On the evening of July 20th, a farmer from Nyaung Zin village was tragically killed by an artillery assault carried out by military junta forces stationed at the Shwe Gu bridge checkpoint on the Myeik-Dawei road in Tha Yet Chaung Township, Dawei District.

Junta forces fired artillery from the Shwe Gu Bridge, striking U Myo Lwin, a farmer in his 60s, in the chest while he was working in his field near Nyaung Zin High School. U Myo Lwin died instantly.

“There was no fighting at the time; the junta shelled artillery from Shwe Gu Bridge recklessly, a practice they frequently engage in,” said a resident.

Approximately 60 junta troops had arrived at the monastery in Nyaung Zin village during the artillery fire. Earlier that morning, the troops had already entered the town, interrogating youths and villagers and inspecting homes before the artillery attack occurred.

As of July 22nd, the troops remain stationed in Nyaung Zin village, causing residents to fear further artillery attacks.

This incident is part of a pattern of violence in Tha Yet Chaung Township, where the junta has previously shelled local villages, resulting in casualties. In June, the junta employed drones for bomb attacks, artillery fire, and landmines, causing explosions that led to the deaths of at least eight villagers and injuries to more than 35 others in the Tanintharyi Region.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under Monthly Report, News