By Hsu Yee/MPA
Civilians in Myanmar’s northwestern Sagaing region are on high alert as military columns conduct a series of raids across Pale Township, reportedly detaining locals and disrupting rural life.
According to residents and local sources, the military launched a two-pronged offensive along the Pale-Gangaw road starting on 20 February. A column of approximately 200 soldiers initially occupied the villages of Thit Ta Yar and Kyaung Than before moving toward Sin Shin village on Sunday morning.
“This is the peak of the pea harvesting season,” a local woman told MPA. “When people hear the soldiers are coming, those who can run hide in the fields. The elderly and those who can’t leave stay behind, hoping they won’t be harmed, but everyone is living in fear of losing their property.”
The raids have been characterized by brief detentions and the use of villagers to facilitate military movements. On Saturday, a separate unit consisting of over 100 personnel, supported by motorcycles and a tractor-trailer, entered Zeedi Kone and Zaung Chan Kone villages.
Witnesses reported that two men, aged 30 and 50, were seized as “human shields” during the march toward Kyun Bo Kone village. Although the two men were later released, the military reportedly forced villagers in Kyun Bo Kone—who were in the middle of preparing a traditional religious donation ceremony—to continue their festivities under armed guard.
“An officer with insignia on his shoulders told the villagers to continue the Shinbyu [novitiate] procession,” a witness said. “He told us they wouldn’t do anything if we didn’t attack them, but they arrived firing their guns into the village.”
Local resistance members believe the military is attempting to secure the main road heading west toward Min Tine Bin. The columns appear well-equipped for a long-term operation, carrying portable Wi-Fi devices, heavy weaponry, and cooking supplies.
As of Sunday afternoon, the military column had moved into Nwe Shauk village, where further civilian detentions have been reported.
Sagaing remains one of the most volatile regions in post-coup Myanmar, with frequent clashes between the military and People’s Defence Forces (PDF) leading to mass displacement and the burning of villages.
