Residents returning to Mong Pai (Mobye) are being required by military authorities to live only in designated monastery compounds, according to local sources.

The military regained control of Mong Pai in July 2025. Since then, returning residents have reportedly been prohibited from resettling in their own neighborhoods and instead ordered to stay in monasteries selected by the military, with strict restrictions placed on their movement.

“Some civilians have started returning to Mong Pai after the military regained control. But they are not allowed to stay in their own neighborhoods,” a local military source told SHAN. “They are forced to live in monasteries and are not allowed to move freely outside. It feels like civilians are being kept under tight control.”

According to Banyar Khun Aung, secretary of the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC), around 200 residents are currently staying in a monastery near the junta’s Battalion 422 compound, while others are living only in neighborhoods approved by the authorities.

“There are residents who have returned,” he said. “The junta requires them to stay in designated monasteries for at least three months while background checks are conducted. Those who are not staying in the monasteries are only allowed to live in certain approved neighborhoods. Since some areas remain inaccessible, many people continue to stay in the monasteries.”

Banyar Khun Aung said the outskirts of Mong Pai remain unstable, with frequent clashes continuing between military forces and Karenni revolutionary groups. He urged civilians considering a return to exercise caution.

“If possible, I would advise them to remain in IDP camps for now,” he said. “The town is still close to active conflict areas, and the risks remain high. Fighting could break out again at any time, so people need to be extremely careful.”

Most residents of Mong Pai, who have been displaced for more than two years, remain unable to return home. Many continue to shelter in nearby villages, forests, and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across Karenni State.

During the second week of May, military authorities launched a ground offensive to regain full control of the Mong Pai (Mobye)–Pai Khun (Pekon) road. The operation triggered intense clashes with forces from the Karenni Revolutionary Alliance and further heightened insecurity in the area.