Ten Civilians Killed, Five Injured as Junta Launches Drone and Artillery Attack on Travelers’ Shelter in Zayat Seik Village, Palaw Township

July 28, 2025

HURFOM: Palaw Township, Myeik District: At least ten civilians were killed and five others injured when the military junta launched a brutal attack using a drone and heavy artillery on a civilian home sheltering travelers in Zayat Seik Village. Local sources confirmed that there were no clashes in the area at the time of the incident.

According to witnesses, at around 10 PM on 25 July 2025, junta forces dropped a bomb from a drone targeting a civilian house where travelers had taken refuge. The house owner, U Myint Than, was among the ten victims who lost their lives in the assault. A local resident who spoke to HURFOM explained that the first drone strike killed one person and injured two others. As locals rushed to help the wounded, junta forces launched a second round of artillery shelling on the site.

“The first drone bomb hit the house and killed two people right away. Later, another round of heavy artillery hit again, killing eight more. Five others were wounded,” a resident familiar with the incident reported.

The group of civilians had been traveling from Myeik but were forced to halt their journey due to intense fighting and aerial attacks in the region. They temporarily took shelter at a house in Zayat Seik when the junta carried out the attack.

Additional rounds of artillery fire continued, causing more casualties. A total of ten people—eight men and two women—were killed instantly at the scene. Another five, including four men and one woman, sustained injuries, according to a member of the local resistance forces.

“The junta didn’t just stop at one attack. After the drone bombing, they fired more artillery shells from a military base stationed near Parda Settawya hill. We could even see flashes of fire from where the bombs landed,” a local eyewitness recounted.

In the early hours of 26 July, injured survivors were transported to a nearby medical facility, while efforts were made to recover the bodies of the deceased for proper burial. Local communities confirmed that the funerals for the ten victims are being held today.

“This act of violence shows how the junta now sees ordinary civilians as enemies. They no longer distinguish between armed resistance and unarmed people—they attack indiscriminately. What happened in Zayat Seik is a clear example of a war crime committed in plain sight,” said one local resident.

Despite the absence of any military confrontation in the area, the junta deliberately attacked a home where civilians were resting at night. Following the incident, local resistance groups issued a warning that fighting in Palaw Township is likely to intensify. They urged residents to prepare bomb shelters and evacuate conflict zones whenever possible to ensure their safety.
Photos: Local sources

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News