On June 25, the city of Mogok, located in Myanmar’s central Mandalay region, experienced a violent explosion that forced Hla Su and her family to seek refuge in a nearby ditch. In the following days, they remained hidden as fighting intensified. “When the explosions stopped, I quickly cooked, but I couldn’t eat properly. I was overwhelmed by stress and fear,” said Hla Su, 34, who belongs to Myanmar’s ethnic Bamar majority. “The sound of airstrikes made it impossible to sleep.”
Like many of the individuals interviewed, Hla Su uses a pseudonym for fear of military reprisals. She is among the approximately 41,000 people who have fled their homes since a new round of fighting broke out in the Mandalay region and northern Shan State in late June. According to the United Nations (UN), a staggering three million people have been forced from their homes in Myanmar, primarily since the military coup in 2021. Data from the Tai Student Union (TSU) suggests that the number of displaced persons may be closer to 100,000.
The recent fighting marks the second phase of a larger offensive known as Operation 1027, which began in October of last year. An alliance of ethnic armed organizations has seized strategic territory along Shan State’s eastern border with China, representing one of the most significant advances for groups opposing the military since the coup. Resistance groups are currently battling for control over an area stretching 280 kilometers from Mandalay to the city of Lashio, which serves as the military’s command center for the northeastern region.
According to Nathan Ruser, a geospatial analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Operation 1027 could potentially establish a connected resistance control from the Chinese border through Myanmar’s central region. “This represents advanced levels of coordination between ethnic armed organizations and defense groups,” Ruser stated.
In Lashio, where intense urban warfare has resulted in severe destruction and civilian casualties, hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee. Both the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (MNDAA) are fighting for control of the city, resulting in numerous civilian losses. Ohn Maung, an ethnic Ta’ang and community volunteer, expressed concern about food shortages among displaced communities: “We want to deliver rice and oil, but we worry they might be hit by bombs if they come to collect supplies,” he said.
As the situation evolves, concerns for affected populations are growing. Humanitarian organizations face significant challenges due to rising fuel prices, telecommunications breakdowns, and roadblocks that make it difficult to reach those impacted by the conflict. “We are losing contact and cannot transfer or withdraw the funds we have raised,” said Vanda, a member of the TSU Executive Committee.
The future appears uncertain for those involved, but there is agreement among certain ethnic armed organizations on the need for peaceful solutions and prioritizing intercommunal harmony in the areas they control. For many, the desire for freedom from military dictatorship grows stronger as the fight continues.
Tags: #Myanmar #Mogok #Conflict #Displacement #HumanRights #Operation1027 #EthnicTensions #CivilianCasualties #HumanitarianCrisis #MilitaryCoup #TSU