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Print:This Short Update describes events that occurred in T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District, in February and March 2025. On February 3rd 2025, the SAC’s Military Operations Command (MOC) #12, based in Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp, deployed a drone to drop bombs onto Aa--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, damaging a school and a villager’s house. Similarly, on February 12th 2025, the SAC’s Infantry Battalion (IB) #97, based in Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp, deployed a drone and dropped bombs onto Aa--- village, damaging four houses. On March 20th 2025, SAC soldiers fired 120 mm mortar rounds into Aa--- village, injuring three villagers. The first villager was collecting fruits when struck, and a second shell hit the other two when they attempted to rescue him. On March 27th 2025, SAC’s MOC #12 fired one 120 mm mortar shell into Ab--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, injuring an elderly villager inside her house, damaging the house, and killing livestock.[1]
February 3rd and 12th: Drone strikes in Yaw Kuh village tract
On February 3rd 2025, at 3 pm, the [State Administration Council (SAC)[2]’s] Military Operation Command (MOC)[3] #12, based in Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit [army camp, in Hlaing Wa area, near Kaw T’Ree Town, Kaw T’Ree Township, Hpa-an District], deployed a drone and dropped bombs [unknown number] onto Aa--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract[4], T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District. The explosion of the bombs dropped by the drone created two craters next to a school building [formerly run by the Burma government and closed at the time of the attack]. The school building was severely damaged by the shrapnel from the bomb’s explosion.
One of the bombs landed next to a house owned by U[5] A---, located close to the school. The house [and household items] were heavily damaged, including pillows, blankets, pots, and plates that had been [stored] inside two cupboards in the house. No money, valuable items, or paddy were damaged, as he [U A---’s] had not dared to stay at home for long [due to ongoing security concerns prior to the attack].
On February 12th 2025, at around 5 pm, [another] drone dropped bombs on Aa--- village. The villagers said that the drone was deployed by the Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion (IB)[6] #97, based in [Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp]. At 5:15 pm, a bomb landed next to a house owned by 64-year-old U B---. The shrapnel hit the [house’s] wall and shrine. U B--- reported [to KHRG] that the drone dropped two bombs simultaneously.
At around 5:20 pm, a drone dropped bombs again [on the village], which landed next to a house owned by a villager named Daw[7] C---. The shrapnel from the explosion hit the wall, shrine, and windows of the house. The nearby houses of U D--- and U E--- were also damaged. The shrapnel damaged the glass windows and shrine of the house owned by U D---, and the kitchen roof [of the house belonging to] U E---. This time, the drone also dropped two bombs simultaneously. A local villager named U D--- said that the drone was patrolling [flying] over the village for a long time before it dropped the bombs.
This village [Aa--- village] is located close to a KNLA [Karen National Liberation Army][8] base and the conflict area, so they [villagers] always have to stay alert. Whenever they [villagers] hear the sound of a drone, they run into the bunkers. All households have built bunkers to hide in [specific location censored for their security].
March 20th and 27th: Shelling into Yaw Kuh village tract
On March 20th 2025, at around 5 pm, the Burma Army [SAC] fired 120 mm mortar rounds into Aa--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract. Before the incident, [SAC’s] MOC #12 conducted reconnaissance over the village with drones. Local villagers think that the drone might have seen a pickup truck (‘Vigo’) full of [unknown] goods and thought it belonged to Karen soldiers [KNLA]. Therefore, after the drone returned, soldiers from [SAC’s] MOC #12, based in Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit [army camp], fired one 120 mm mortar round. The mortar shell landed where the truck had been parked [for a while]. However, the truck had already travelled to Ac--- village, Noh Kay village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, when the mortar shell landed. In reality, the truck did not belong to soldiers. It was a villager’s truck that returned from picking up [unknown] goods from a house [in Aa--- village] and [then] went to a safer place.
At 5:45 pm, another 120 mm mortar shell landed in Aa--- village and injured 62-year-old Saw[9] F--- on his left calf, while he was collecting moringa oleifera fruits. The shell landed next to the moringa oleifera tree, and the shrapnel hit his calf, so he immediately fell [to the ground] under the tree. Then, two other villagers, named Saw G--- and Saw H---, drove their car [to the spot where he fell] to help him. At that moment, another mortar shell struck, injuring Saw G--- and Saw H---. Saw G--- was injured on the right side of his back, while Saw H--- was injured on his right thigh. They [Saw F---, Saw G---, and Saw H---] were sent [by village leaders] to a clinic [run by the Karen National Union (KNU)[10] in Ad--- village, Noh Kay village tract. They arrived at the clinic at around 6 pm and the healthcare workers cleaned their injuries.
The calf of Saw F--- was severely injured and the muscles were cut through [lacerated]. Shrapnel remained inside the thigh of Saw H---, and the injury was serious. Thus, [after receiving first aid at the clinic in Ad--- village] they were transferred to another clinic in the District [run by the KNU] (censored location for security). They [Saw F--- and Saw H---] arrived at the clinic at around 8 pm, as they had to wait for a car [to transport them]. They were sent to the operation room as soon as they arrived at the clinic. Health workers told them to stay [at the clinic] until they recovered. [The treatment was free of charge.]
Saw G--- received treatment at the clinic in Ad--- village, as the shrapnel was not stuck in his back and the injury was not serious.
On March 27th 2025, at 8:03 am, [SAC’s] MOC #12 fired one 120 mm mortar shell into Ab--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, which landed on a house owned by U I---. All family members were inside the house when the incident [shelling] happened. However, they were all staying in different parts of the house, each working separately on their own tasks. The mortar shell landed on the roof at the back of the house, which was made of leaves, and set it on fire. Furthermore, the 105-year-old grandma named Daw J--- was hit on the right side of her head [as she was inside the house]. She was sent to a clinic in Ad--- village. The shrapnel of the mortar shell also killed a pig.
Further background reading on the situation on drone strikes in Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports:
- Doo Tha Htoo District Short Update: SAC air strikes and shelling, causing casualties, damages and displacement; and forced labour, in Bilin Township (September 2024 to February 2025), June 2025.
- Mergui-Tavoy District Situation Update: SAC air strikes caused death, injuries, displacement, and destruction (February to September 2024), June 2025.
- Taw Oo District Situation Update: SAC shelling, drone attacks, forced recruitment, threats, and other military activity, causing casualties and livelihood challenges in Htaw Ta Htoo and Daw Hpah Hkoh Townships (November 2024 to January 2025), May 2025.
- ကဘီယူၤဟဲလံ Aircraft coming! : Impacts of air strikes on local communities and villagers’ protection strategies in Southeast Burma since the 2021 coup, November 2024.
These photos were taken in February 2025 in Aa--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District. On February 3rd 2025, SAC’s Military Operations Command (MOC) #12, based in Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp, Hlaing Wa area, near Kaw T’Ree Town, Kaw T’Ree Township, deployed a drone and dropped bombs onto Aa-- village. The two photos at the top show a house owned by a villager named U A---, which was heavily damaged by the explosion. The two photos at the bottom show a closed school building, which was previously run by the Burma government, also severely damaged. [Photos: KHRG]
These photos were taken by a healthcare worker in March 2025, at a clinic in Ad--- village, Noh Kay village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District. On March 20th 2025, MOC #12 based at Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp, fired 120 mm mortar shells into Aa--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, and injured three villagers. These photos show Saw F--- receiving first aid treatment at a clinic in Ad--- village. The villager was sent to another clinic later on, due to the severity of the injuries. [Photos: Health worker]
KHRG received these two photos in March 2025, from a local authority in Yaw Kuh village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District. On March 27th 2025, at 8:03 am, SAC’s MOC #12 based at Hlaing Wa Artillery Unit army camp, fired one 120 mm mortar shell into Ab--- village, Yaw Kuh village tract, injuring a villager named Daw J--- and killing a pig. The photo on the left shows Daw J--- receiving treatment in a clinic in Ad--- village, Noh Kay village tract, T’Nay Hsah Township, Hpa-an District. The photo on the right shows the dead pig. [Photos: Local authority].
Footnotes:
[1] The present document is based on information received in February and March 2025. It was provided by a community member in Hpa-an District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions on the ground. The names of the victims, their photos and the exact locations are censored for security reasons. The parts in square brackets are explanations added by KHRG. This document combines several received reports with the following KHRG internal log numbers: #25-49-D1, #25-80-D1, #25-100-D1, and #25-107-D1.
[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 Myanmar, the executive branch of the government. Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of SAC chairperson following the coup.
[3] 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.
[4] A village tract is an administrative unit of between five and 20 villages in a local area, often centred on a large village.
[5] ‘U’ is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.
[6] 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.
[7] ‘Daw’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[8] The Karen National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Karen National Union.
[9] Saw is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name.
[10] 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.
