Although the Myanmar military has regained control of Nawnghkio, Kyaukme, and Hsipaw townships in northern Shan State, most internally displaced persons (IDPs) have not been able to return home due to the destruction of property and the continued presence of landmines.

“Operation 1027,” launched on October 27, 2023, led to heavy fighting between the military and the Brotherhood Alliance—comprised of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA)—along the Myanmar–China trade corridor in northern Shan State.

During the operation, the Brotherhood Alliance took control of 18 townships. In April 2025, following diplomatic intervention from China, the military regained Lashio from the MNDAA and subsequently launched ground and air operations to retake other areas previously under TNLA control.

The military recaptured Nawnghkio in mid-July and Kyaukme and Hsipaw in October. However, according to local humanitarian volunteers, most displaced residents have not returned.

“Some have gone back, but those who remain here haven’t returned because they no longer have houses to stay in. People are scattered, and it’s difficult to get an exact number,” said a volunteer assisting IDPs in Hsipaw.

More than 50 households that fled from Nawnghkio to Hsipaw are still displaced. IDPs say the main obstacles to returning are damaged homes and the risk posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).

“People are afraid of landmines. The areas that were retaken have not been fully cleared,” the volunteer said.

State-run media outlets report that normalcy has returned to the recaptured towns, noting that schools and government offices have reopened and that mine clearance is ongoing. However, residents interviewed by SHAN expressed doubts about the extent of these efforts.

According to several residents, mine removal in some areas appears limited, and villagers reporting landmines have sometimes been asked to pay for their removal.

“Our house was damaged by shelling. We can still stay in it, but we are worried about landmines. A woman in our village stepped on one while working on her farm and lost a leg,” said a resident who recently returned to Kyaukme Township.

On October 25, two IDPs who went back to a hillside hut to retrieve rice near Nam Man village along the Kyaukme–Mong Ngaw road stepped on a landmine. A 15-year-old girl was killed, and a 50-year-old man who tried to assist her sustained serious hand injuries, local residents said.

Residents also report that reconstruction efforts have focused mainly on schools and government offices, with no assistance or compensation provided for damaged civilian homes.