In Gangaw Township, Magway Region, military council forces have conducted airstrikes and ground operations, resulting in civilian casualties and forcing more than 4,000 residents to flee their homes, according to a representative from the Yaw Alinntan organization. On March 22, a fighter jet from the Meiktila Air Base bombed a clinic in Hnamkar village in northern Gangaw Township, causing civilian casualties, though the exact number of deaths and injuries is still being investigated. Additionally, since the evening of March 18, approximately 120 soldiers from Infantry Battalion 50 based in Gangaw have launched ground operations into several villages including Pyar Village, Aung Myint Village, West Gangaw Village, and Shwin Shi Village.
The military council forces have detained local civilians and are using them as human shields while constructing military outposts and bunkers in Aung Myint (Shauk Pin) village. They are reportedly cutting down trees from nearby forests and transporting them by vehicles for the construction of approximately four bunker positions. According to Ko Ba Kaung from Yaw Alinntan, the area is strategically important as it can control trade routes to southern Kalay and the entire Chin State, which is likely why the military council is establishing a base there. Aung Myint (Shauk Pin) village is located on the Gangaw-Minywa and Gangaw-Aikhar roads, making it a crucial location for both revolutionary forces and the military council.
Due to the military council’s operations, approximately 4,000 residents from villages including Aung Myint Village, Lon Chon Village, West Gangaw Village, Paydoatkun Village, and Pyar Village have been forced to flee to safer locations. The military council has cut off communication lines in Gangaw District and frequently conducts airstrikes, prompting local civil society organizations to advise residents against holding any large gatherings such as donation ceremonies, novitiation ceremonies, or weddings. The situation continues to deteriorate as the military council intensifies its operations in the area, causing widespread displacement and disruption to civilian life while maintaining strategic control over this crucial territory that connects multiple regions of the country.
