Bilin, Mon State: Civilian Killed, Another Injured in Crossfire on Yangon–Mawlamyine Highway

August 10, 2025

A truck assistant was killed and another person injured when fighting broke out between junta forces and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)-allied troops along the Yangon–Mawlamyine Highway near Aoo Lay village, Bilin Township, Mon State, on the morning of 9 August 2025.

The clash began at around 11:00 AM when KNLA joint forces ambushed junta troops returning from a military operation in Aoo Lay. As the two sides exchanged fire, passing civilian vehicles were caught in the crossfire.

“It happened so suddenly. Cars were trapped in the middle of the shooting. One Assistance, 40, in a heavy truck vehicle was hit in the heart and died instantly. A driver of a ‘Faw’ truck was also injured,” a local rescue team member told HURFOM.

The deceased passenger was identified as being from Kyaukse, Mandalay Region. Both victims were taken to Bilin Township Public Hospital.

The exchange of fire caused major traffic disruption, with dozens of passenger vehicles stranded on the highway for over an hour before the road was reopened around 12:30 PM.

This incident came just a day after a separate explosion on 8 August in nearby Pa Dain Yoe village, Thaton Township, Mon State, where a landmine blast along the same highway injured a truck driver. Bilin Township and the surrounding areas, including Kyaikhto Township, have faced a sharp escalation in junta violence over the past year.

HURFOM has documented repeated violations, including indiscriminate shelling, targeted airstrikes, and attacks on civilian areas. The Yangon–Mawlamyine Highway—an important trade and travel route—has become increasingly dangerous as junta forces intensify military movements and clashes with resistance forces, placing civilians at constant risk.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News