23 April 2026 By Foe Aww Yaw
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar — In a major escalation of its grip on the country, the military junta led by Min Aung Hlaing has declared martial law in 60 townships across Myanmar, effectively handing all judicial and administrative powers to the military command.
The order, issued on 23 April by the junta’s self-styled presidential office, marks the first time such a sweeping decree has been made since the military rebranded its administration following a controversial and widely discredited election. Despite the junta’s efforts to project an image of “transitioning to democracy,” the new decree returns these regions to absolute military rule.
The move covers a significant portion of the country, including 14 townships in Rakhine State, 15 in Shan State, and several others across Sagaing, Magway, and Chin regions. Resistance fighters on the front lines view the declaration not as a sign of strength, but as an admission that the junta’s civil administrative machinery has completely collapsed.
“This is an admission that they can no longer govern through ordinary means,” a resistance fighter from the front lines told MPA. “Martial law is just a label for them to legally facilitate more atrocities and use civilians as human shields. Our military momentum will not slow down because of a piece of paper.”
Under the 90-day decree, military commanders are granted “unlimited authority” to oversee security, administration, and the judiciary. This allows for summary trials in military courts, where those accused of anti-regime activities face harsh sentences with no right to appeal.
The townships affected include strategic hubs and resistance strongholds, such as Mrauk-U and Ann in Rakhine State, Kutkai and Kyaukme in Shan State, and Wetlet and Indaw in Sagaing Region.
The reimposition of martial law stands in stark contrast to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s recent attempts to court international legitimacy and reduce sanctions. Analysts suggest the move is a desperate response to the military’s significant territorial losses over the past year to ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).
“They are still hiding in bunkers with guns while pretending to be a civilian government,” another revolutionary fighter added. “This decree proves their true nature remains unchanged—they are an occupation force, not a government.”
As the conflict enters this new, more restrictive legal phase, humanitarian groups fear that the lack of oversight under martial law will lead to a spike in extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions. For the people living in these 60 townships, the official “return to democracy” has ended exactly where the 2021 coup began: under the boot of a military dictatorship.
