Civilians Trapped Between Fear and Forced Military Operations in Southern Burma

October 27, 2025

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) expresses grave concern over the worsening situation in southern Burma, where civilians continue to face attacks, displacement, and abuse under the Junta’s expanding military operations. The latest reports from Dawei District and Mon State reveal a disturbing escalation of violence and human rights violations, including the use of civilians as human shields, indiscriminate airstrikes, and mass arrests for ransom and forced conscription.

In Launglon Township, Dawei District, residents from at least five villages in the Kyauk Zin Village Tract have been forced to flee after Junta troops launched a military advance into the area. Local witnesses reported that soldiers arrested villagers along their route and used them as human shields. On October 20, a column of over 100 troops entered Thabot Seik Village after arriving by navy vessel from the western sea. The night before, artillery fire from a naval ship near Kyauk Zin further heightened fear among residents.

One villager told HURFOM:

“They came by boat and spent one night in Kyauk Zin. The next morning, they moved toward Thabot Seik and arrested locals they met along the way to use them as human shields. There hasn’t been fighting yet, but everyone is extremely worried.”

This is the first military incursion into Kyauk Zin in 2025, following a similar operation last August. Entire communities from Kyauk Zin, Thabot Seik, Pyin Gyi, Kayin Gyi, and Kanpanee villages have now fled, fearing arrests and renewed raids. The Junta’s movements in this area coincide with wider offensives in Dawei District, where troops are expanding control through both land and naval routes.

In nearby Yebyu Township, residents from Za Di Village Tract have also fled as ground and naval forces advanced from multiple directions beginning October 12. Around 100 soldiers from Infantry Battalion 273 and Light Infantry Battalion 409, supported by the Mawrawaddy Naval Base, have been operating near Kanbauk and Nabulae, damaging roads and detaining villagers for questioning. Local sources confirmed that troops are reinforcing positions near the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ), signaling long-term militarization of the area.

Many of the displaced families, including those from Kaung Pyan and Deik Ta Kaw villages, are now living in the open under heavy rain, with limited food and no shelter. These communities have been displaced multiple times since the Kanbauk Reservoir battle of December 2024, reflecting the continued cycle of fear and instability facing civilians in Dawei District.

In Mon State, HURFOM continues to receive alarming reports of deliberate attacks on civilians and arbitrary arrests. On October 17, three civilians, including a woman, were injured when a Junta fighter jet dropped two bombs on Kyauk Phyar and Nat Sin Villages in Kyaikhto Township. The airstrike took place despite the absence of any clashes, terrorizing the population and destroying homes.

Meanwhile, in Thaton Township, a climate of fear has deepened as Junta authorities, working with pro-military militias, have carried out widespread arbitrary arrests and ransom extortion. HURFOM field data confirms that 411 youths have been detained since September. Families are being forced to pay 5 million Kyats per person for their release. Those unable to pay are sent to military training camps as forced conscripts.

A local source explained:

“They patrol every night. If you can pay, you’re released. If not, they send you straight to training. Most of those taken are workers or small business owners.”

The coordinated arrests are reportedly led by Captain San Win Aung, a member of the township administrative council, and Deputy Police Chief Myint Naing. This system of extortion and forced recruitment has left families devastated, with many selling their belongings or fleeing the area to protect their children.

Across HURFOM’s target areas, the same patterns persist — militarization of villages, displacement of civilians, and systematic abuses of power under the pretext of security or recruitment. The human cost continues to rise as the Junta deepens its control ahead of its planned sham election, using fear, violence, and exploitation to suppress local communities.

HURFOM reiterates its call for urgent international attention and stronger protection for civilians in southern Burma. The ongoing crimes — from the use of human shields to extortion and forced conscription — represent serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Accountability for these abuses remains essential to restore justice and dignity to affected communities.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under Commentary