Heavy Shelling by Junta Forces Forces Mass Evacuation in Pyigyi Mandai Town, Southern Burma

May 7, 2025

Residents of Pyigyi Mandai town in Bokepyin Township have been forced to flee en masse following sustained artillery shelling by junta forces stationed in Lay Nyar village, according to local sources

Beginning around 10:00 AM and continuing until the evening of May 6, Light Infantry Battalion No. 560, based in Lay Nyar, has been relentlessly firing artillery shells toward Pyigyi Mandai, even though no active clashes have been reported in the area. The intense shelling has prompted nearly the entire town to evacuate in fear for their safety.

“We don’t know the full extent of the damage yet—everyone has fled. There may be injuries or property damage, but no one dares stay behind to check,” said a male resident from Pyigyi Mandai.

Locals also reported that Union Highway traffic has been severely disrupted, with civilian vehicles and motorbikes unable to pass safely through the area.

“They’re firing indiscriminately into the town—this isn’t even a battle zone. The shelling is coming from the Lay Nyar-based military, and it’s reaching deep into the town. Some vehicles had to stop and sleep on the road,” he added.

This is not the first time Pyigyi Mandai has come under attack without provocation. On April 27, junta forces fired indiscriminate artillery shells into the town, injuring a high school student. One day later, on the night of April 28, locals reported at least five more rounds of shelling from the same Lay Nyar-based troops.

Elsewhere in the region, travel on the Myeik–Dawei highway has also been disrupted since April 18, when resistance forces launched an attack on the Winwa police outpost in Thayet Chaung Township, making it unsafe for civilian travel along key stretches of the road.

Due to the increased risk of armed conflict near Lay Nyar village, junta troops have reportedly issued warnings to civilians in Pyigyi Mandai to evacuate as fighting may soon escalate.

Local communities continue to live in fear as military offensives intensify, further displacing civilians and deepening the humanitarian crisis in southern Burma.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News