Escalating Military Attacks Force Over 3,800 Civilians to Flee in Tanintharyi Region

June 17, 2025

HURFOM: Across the Tanintharyi Region, thousands of civilians are once again being forced to flee their homes as the military Junta intensifies ground offensives and launches indiscriminate shelling, even in areas where no armed clashes have occurred.

In Laung Lone Township, Dawei District, tensions rose sharply in the early hours of June 14. At around 3:00 AM, a military column advanced from Laung Lone town toward Sit Pyae village, triggering fear and panic. By 4:00 AM, residents—including farmers already in their fields—were scrambling to escape.

“They [the junta troops] were firing heavy weapons so close to our homes. We had to run while it was still dark,” said a woman who fled with her children. “We couldn’t even take anything with us.”

Villagers from Sit Pyae, Nyin Maw, and Pyin Htain have now been displaced and are hiding in nearby forests and plantations. The Junta reportedly used both heavy and light weapons as they moved forward. This latest displacement follows a brief calm after the May 30 clash that had already forced people from seven villages to flee.

Meanwhile, in Tanintharyi Township, Myeik District, junta forces resumed shelling on the night of June 13. Troops based at Nyaung Pin Kwin village, under Light Infantry Battalion 561, fired more than 10 rounds of 120mm artillery shells toward Nyaung Pin Kwin and Hton Ma Khar villages, despite no fighting in the area.

The shelling continued into the afternoon of June 14, according to resistance groups on the ground. “There was no clash—just shelling all night. Everyone had to run. And with the rain, everything is much harder,” a local man explained.

Most villagers fled into nearby forests, plantations, and remote farmland areas. Many had only recently returned home following an earlier attack in May, and now find themselves displaced once again.

Local humanitarian service providers estimate that more than 3,800 civilians have been newly displaced over the past several days from both Laung Lone and Tanintharyi Townships. The numbers are growing as the Junta continues to escalate attacks in civilian areas.

While no civilian deaths have been reported so far in this round of attacks, the fear, stress, and loss are real. Families have left behind homes, farms, and belongings. They are now struggling to survive without proper shelter, food, or medicine—many seeking safety under heavy rain in remote areas.

HURFOM field researchers confirm that the Junta’s pattern of violence—including the use of artillery in villages with no armed presence—is creating a new wave of displacement almost every week.

The situation remains deeply worrying and unpredictable. Without immediate humanitarian support and urgent international attention, the lives and dignity of thousands of displaced families in southern Burma will remain at grave risk.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News