By Hlaing / MPA
More than 10,000 displaced civilians in Madaya Township, located in Pyin Oo Lwin District of Mandalay Region, are in critical need of food and medical supplies, according to local residents and humanitarian workers.
Since mid-November 2024, the western region of Madaya Township has witnessed a sharp escalation in military violence, including the burning of villages by junta forces. Villages such as Mway Thit Taw Yone, Mway U Dein, Mway Htein Pin, Mway Pu Thein, MwayTa Line, Mwe Sin Kone, Tangar, Ywa Thit, Wun Su, Htein Pin Sauk, and Sein Pan Kone have been targeted, forcing over 10,000 residents to flee to safer areas.
A spokesperson for The Voice of Mandalay told MPA, “The situation is dire. Many displaced people are battling illnesses, including strokes, while the elderly face harsh conditions in makeshift shelters during the cold season. Although village defense teams are providing food aid, the displaced are scattered across multiple locations, making it difficult to assess the full extent of damage, including the number of homes burned.”
Residents from nearby Wetlet Township in Sagaing Region, including villages such as Tangar, Mway Htein Pin, Mway Pu Thein, Htein Pin Sauk, and Mway Taline near the Tangar Creek area, have also fled due to rising violence. Relief workers report an urgent need for food, clothing, and medical supplies for these displaced individuals.
A local resident from Madaya added, “Some residents from western Madaya are seeking refuge in Wetlet. Villages along the riverbanks have been burned repeatedly by the military, leaving people no choice but to flee. Many, like those from Wan Su, have been displaced for three to four months now.”
Junta forces in Madaya Township have reportedly carried out deliberate attacks on civilian-populated villages, using heavy artillery, drones, and airstrikes. Civilians have been killed, and properties looted, according to local accounts.
On December 6, 2024, the Mandalay People Defense Forces (MDY-PDF) launched counterattacks to reclaim areas in western Madaya that had been lost to junta forces. By December 9, villages such as Ywa Thit, Wan Su, and Htein Pin Sauk were successfully recaptured, according to official statements. Furthermore, on December 19, revolutionary forces seized Htan Pin Kone village and advanced into other parts of the township.
Madaya Township holds strategic significance, sharing borders with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) territories to the north and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) areas to the east. It remains a key stronghold for resistance forces.
Since the military coup on Feb.1, 2021, the junta’s scorched-earth campaigns have destroyed 106,409 civilian homes across the country, according to Data For Myanmar’s eighth report, covering incidents up to Sept.30, 2024.