The Myanmar military forces (SAC) have launched an operation in Kyaukgu Village and surrounding areas, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes amid escalating violence, according to local sources.

Since mid-June, junta troops have advanced into Loi Hawng and Pong Inn villages within Kyaukgu Village Tract, issuing evacuation orders under the threat of airstrikes. A displaced villager from Intaw told SHAN that soldiers warned civilians to flee immediately, citing imminent bombardments from the west.

“They ordered us to leave or face gunfire. Now, entire villages are emptying and elderly residents from Loi Hawng and Pong Inn have sought refuge in the monastery while others flee toward Intaw town,” the source said. “Soldiers have now occupied the abandoned homes.”

Villagers sheltering in Loi Hawng Monastery have reportedly been barred from retrieving food or belongings from their homes. The military has also issued threats of arbitrary detention, particularly if gunfire is heard in the area.

“Pong Inn residents were forced out ten days ago, followed by Loi Hawng five days later,” the Intaw resident added. “Those in the monastery were told to fend for themselves and avoid returning. Anyone deemed ‘suspicious’ faces interrogation.”

The military’s deliberate targeting of civilian areas and displacement camps constitutes a breach of the Geneva Conventions, to which Myanmar is a signatory. Such actions are classified as war crimes under international law.

On June 14, junta forces allegedly conducted an airstrike in a forested area four miles west of Loi Hawng Sha. This follows earlier reports of chemical weapon use on May 20, the Danu People’s Liberation Army (DPLA) accused the military of dropping chemical gas bombs on its positions in Kyaukgu, despite no active clashes at the time.

Clashes between the military council and the DPLA have intensified in Lawksawk Township since January 2025, triggering repeated waves of displacement. Notably, Kyaukgu and the conflict-heavy Taung Hkam area in Naung Cho (Nawngkio) Township, where TNLA and allied forces are engaged in fierce combat are only 30 miles apart. The DPLA claims to be intercepting junta troop movements between these two hotspots.