26 May 2026 By Hlaing / MPA
A massive military commission column comprising over 1,000 troops has advanced into Kyaukthu sub-township, located in Saw Township of Magway Region’s Gangaw District. Local sources report that at least six civilians have been killed during the military incursion.
On the afternoon of 26 May 2026, the military column, estimated by some residents to be closer to 1,500 strong, began entering Kyaukthu town. Troops have also been deployed and spread out along both sides of the Tabayin-Kyaukthu road.
“Their advance guards reached Ah Kyi Pan Palun village on May 24. From there, they gradually pushed forward, and today, a force of over 1,000 troops has entered Kyaukthu,” a local male resident told MPA.
The rapid advancement of the military commission column has triggered a mass displacement of residents. Thousands of villagers from Tabayin, Ywartha, Ah Nya Pan Palun, Ah Kyi Pan Palun, Na Thoe, Kyauk Ma, Kyauk Pyinn, and Thayet Chin villages have fled into nearby forests and safer areas.
“They are not just launching an offensive. They are arresting anyone who is unable to run. They even tracked down and killed displaced people hiding in the jungle,” a local female resident said.
According to ground sources, several targeted killings occurred in recent days during the military sweep. In Tabayin village, four people were executed, including the local monastery’s abbot, a high school teacher participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), and two local men. Another civilian was killed in Ywartha village.
“The casualties in Tabayin include the abbot, the CDM teacher, and two men. If we include a mentally ill woman who was killed on May 18, at least five people have been killed in Tabayin alone. This is only what we have been able to confirm so far. Because the military column is still active in the area, the exact number remains difficult to verify,” a source familiar with the ground situation stated.
In addition to the killings, the military commission reportedly set fire to Ywartha village, located west of Tabayin village, at around 06:00 AM on 26 May 2026. MPA is currently conducting further investigations to ascertain the full extent of the property destruction and civilian casualties.
Local revolutionary forces have not yet released any formal statements regarding the ongoing military situation in the Yaw region.
However, due to the intense ground offensive and continuous airstrikes conducted by the military commission using thousands of troops over the past few days, the Yaw Defense Force (YDF) issued an urgent advisory on May 25. The resistance group urged local civilians to immediately relocate to safer areas for their own protection.
The current sweeping offensive comes as the military attempts to project power near southern Chin State, where the anti-junta coalition Chin Brotherhood (CB) has captured several strategic towns. The alliance seized Kanpetlet on 22 December 2024, Mindat on 21 December 2024, Matupi on 29 June 2024, and Kyindwe on 29 April 2024.
Editor: Ko San
