Sat, 27 Dec 2025
Photo Set: Shelling of villages in Southeast Burma by the Burma Army, the BGF, and other affiliated armed groups, and its impacts (January to November 2025)

This Photo Set presents photographic evidence of the impacts of shelling into villages and community areas conducted by the Burma Army and affiliated armed groups, including the Border Guard Force (BGF) and the Pyu Saw Htee, from January to November 2025. During this period, the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) documented extensive evidence of human rights violations committed by soldiers, primarily the Burma Army under the command of the Burma military regime, through repeated attacks in civilian areas. The SAC’s indiscriminate shelling, intensified since the 2021 coup, has continued in 2025, killing and injuring villagers; destroying homes, farmlands, properties, and community buildings; causing fear of unexploded ordnance (UXOs); restricting villagers’ freedom of movement to pursue their livelihoods; and causing widespread displacement. Despite the challenges, villagers employed coping strategies to secure their livelihoods, including sending injured community members to receive treatment and relocating to safer areas.

 

Photo Set: Shelling of villages in Southeast Burma by the Burma Army, the BGF, and affiliated armed groups, damaging homes, community buildings, farmland, and infrastructure (January–November 2025)  

In 2025, as the Burma military regime[1]’s shelling into civilian areas has continued, villagers have increasingly faced loss of life and injury, and the destruction of their homes and farmlands. Between January and November 2025, the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) documented 1,308 evidentiary photographs showing the impacts of the State Administration Council (SAC)[2]’s shelling, including casualties among villagers and damage to villagers’ houses, community buildings, and farmlands.[3] Such attacks have caused suffering to villagers and long-term impacts on their lives. In addition, shelling has also been carried out by the Border Guard Force (BGF)[4] and Pyu Saw Htee[5] groups.

In some incidents, the Burma Army launched artillery fire indiscriminately into villages after receiving attacks by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[6] and the People’s Defence Force (PDF)[7], while in other cases the Burma Army shelled villages even when no fighting was taking place. These attacks have caused civilian casualties (including children) and the destruction or damage of key livelihood assets, including homes, rice barns, household items, savings, livestock, farms and plantations, agricultural equipment, vehicles, and businesses and workplaces. Due to such attacks, villagers are forced to live under insecurity and constant danger: whether they are at home, in schools, churches, monasteries, working in their farmlands, or traveling, they remain exposed to risk and live in a state of fear. Villagers draw on their agency and resilience by seeking refuge in the forest and building shelters in displacement sites.


This Photo Set includes a selection of 64 photos from all seven districts of the locally-defined Karen State[8]: Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton), Taw Oo (Toungoo), Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin), Mergui-Tavoy, Mu Traw (Hpapun), Dooplaya, and Hpa-an districts. These photos were taken by local villagers, as well as by community members who have been trained by KHRG to monitor the human rights situation in their respective local areas. The names of the victims, their photos, and the exact locations are censored for security and sensitivity reasons.

 

 

 

Further background reading on the situation on attacks on livelihoods in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:

 
Sat, 27 Dec 2025

Footnotes: 

[1] The terms Burma military regime, Burma Army, junta, and SAC are used interchangeably throughout this report to describe Burma’s armed forces. Villagers themselves commonly use Burma Army, Burmese soldiers, or alternatively the name adopted by the Burma military regime at the time –from the 2021 coup to July 2025, the State Administration Council (SAC). On July 31st 2025, the military junta changed its name to State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC).

[2] The State Administration Council (SAC) is the executive governing body created in the aftermath of the February 1st 2021 military coup. It was established by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on February 2nd 2021, and is composed of eight military officers and eight civilians. The chairperson serves as the de facto head of government of Burma (Myanmar) and leads the Military Cabinet of Burma, the executive branch of the government. Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of SAC chairperson following the coup. The military junta changed its name on July 31st 2025 to State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC).

[3] KHRG operates in seven areas in Southeast Burma: Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton), Taw Oo (Toungoo), Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin), Mergui-Tavoy, Mu Traw (Hpapun) and Dooplaya and Hpa-an. When KHRG receives information from the field, it organises data according to these seven areas. These are commonly referred to as ‘districts’ and are used by many local Karen organisations. KHRG’s use of the district designations in reference to our research areas does not imply political affiliation. For clarity, the Burmese terms for these districts are provided in brackets but do not correspond with the Burma (Myanmar) government administrative divisions.

[4] Border Guard Force (BGF) battalions of the Tatmadaw were established in 2010, and they are composed mostly of soldiers from former non-state armed groups, such as older constellations of the DKBA, which have formalised ceasefire agreements with the Burma/Myanmar government and agreed to transform into battalions within the Tatmadaw.

[5] The first Pyu Saw Htee groups were officially formed in mid-May 2021 in opposition to the National Unity Government’s call for the formalisation of a People’s Defence Force to resist the military regime following the 2021 military coup. The Pyu Saw Htee is made up of military veterans and Buddhist ultranationalist pro-military supporters whose aim is to counter and control opposition to the military regime.

[6] The Karen National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Karen National Union.

[7] The People’s Defence Force (PDF) is an armed resistance established independently as local civilian militias operating across the country. Following the February 1st 2021 military coup and the ongoing brutal violence enacted by the junta, the majority of these groups began working with the National Unity Government (NUG), a body claiming to be the legitimate government of Burma/Myanmar, which then formalized the PDF on May 5th 2021 as a precursor to a federal army.

[8] Karen State, defined locally, includes the following areas: Kayin State, Tanintharyi Region and parts of Mon State and Bago Region. Karen State, located in Southeastern Burma, is primarily inhabited by ethnic Karen people. Most of the Karen population resides in the largely rural areas of Southeast Burma, living alongside other ethnic groups, including Bamar, Shan, Mon and Pa’O.

[9] A Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) comprises 500 soldiers. Most Light Infantry Battalions in the Tatmadaw are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers, yet up-to-date information regarding the size of battalions is hard to come by, particularly following the signing of the NCA. LIBs are primarily used for offensive operations, but they are sometimes used for garrison duties.

[10] Ko is a Burmese title meaning older brother. It can be used for relatives as well as non-relatives.

[11] The National Unity Government (NUG) was formed by the acting cabinet of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) on April 16th 2021, following the February 1st military coup. U Min Wyint was retained as President, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as State Counsellor, both still under detention by the State Administration Council (SAC) military. The NUG claims to be the legitimate government of Myanmar, and has sought international recognition as such. The NUG cabinet is composed primarily of lawmakers elected in the 2020 election, along with other key ethnic figures. As the military junta has declared the NUG illegal, it is operating as a government-in-exile. On May 5th 2021, the NUG announced the formation of a "People’s Defence Force" to serve as its armed wing. Further information can be found at the NUG website: https://www.nugmyanmar.org/en/

[12] An Infantry Battalion (IB) comprises 500 soldiers. However, most Infantry Battalions in the Tatmadaw are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers. Yet up to date information regarding the size of battalions is hard to come by, particularly following the signing of the NCA. They are primarily used for garrison duty but are sometimes used in offensive operations.

[13] ‘Ma’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.

[14] ‘U’ is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.

[15] ‘Maung’ is a Burmese male honorific title used before a person’s name.

[16] The Karen National Union (KNU) is the main Karen political organisation. It was established in 1947 and has been in conflict with the government since 1949. The KNU wields power across large areas of Southeast Myanmar and has been calling for the creation of a democratic federal system since 1976. Although it signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015, following the 2021 coup staged by Burma Army leaders, the KNU officially stated that the NCA has become void.

[17] Saw is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name.

[18] The Karen National Police Force is the law enforcement agency of the Karen National Union. It was established in 1991.

[19] The Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW) is the health department of the Karen National Union. It was established in 1956 to address the lack of public healthcare resources in rural Southeast Myanmar. It currently operates a network of community-based clinics in the region, but its capabilities remain limited due to funding constraints.

[20] A Military Operations Command (MOC) is comprised of ten battalions for offensive operations. Most MOCs have three Tactical Operations Commands (TOCs) made up of three battalions each.

[21] The Asian Highway Network is a United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific-supported project that aims to link 32 countries in Asia across 141,000 kilometres of roadway. In Burma/Myanmar the project has involved land confiscation and forced labour. For more information about the Asian Highway Network, see: KHRG, “Beautiful Words, Ugly Actions: The Asian Highway in Karen State, Burma”, August 2016; KHRG, “The Asia Highway: Planned Eindu to Kawkareik Town road construction threatens villagers’ livelihoods,” March 2015.

[22] The Aung Zeya Column is a State Administration Council (SAC) counteroffensive that was formed in April 2024 under the name ‘Operation Aung Zeya’. Its aim is to retake control of the Asian Highway between Kaw T’Ree (Kawkareik) and the border town Myawaddy, from Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) forces. The column is being overseen by deputy junta chief Soe Win and comprises over 1,000 troops. Since the operation started, there have been daily attacks along the Asian Highway.

Download Links

Related Readings