Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar (16-05-2026 to 31-05-2026)

Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar

(16-05-2026 to 31-05-2026)

(64) months ago, on 1 February 2021, the military junta attempted an illegal coup, toppled the elected civilian government, and unlawfully detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and other senior members of the civilian government, parliamentarians and activists. Since then, the military junta has ignored the will of the people of Myanmar, placed the country in turmoil, and made people suffer tremendously as a result of its inhumane and disproportionate acts.

Over 3.7 million people are being displaced. Almost 22 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Among them, over 10.4 million are women and girls, and over 6.3 million are children. 116,897 houses were burned down throughout Myanmar since the illegal coup until the end of 31 May 2025, according to Data for Myanmar.

According to the UNDP, 49.7 per cent of the population in Myanmar was living under the national poverty line in 2023. Its report in June 2025 further revealed that even in Myanmar's commercial hub, Yangon, nearly half of the city's population lives in poverty, and the economic collapse, displacement, and inadequate services are pushing more families into poverty every day. Moreover, due to the complete dismantling of the rule of law by the junta, transnational organised crimes including online scams, drug trafficking, and human trafficking are rising across the country and generating serious security implications for the region and beyond.

The suffering of the people has been further compounded by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025. Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, and Nay Pyi Taw were among the hardest hit. The earthquake killed almost 4,200 people, injured over 3,680 others, and affected over 3.2 million people. Infrastructure, houses, and religious facilities were severely destroyed.

According to the data collected by AAPP, from 1 to 29 May 2026, (46) people in total; (17) women and (29) men, were killed by the junta across the country, including (11) children under the age of 18. The youngest recorded death was a five-month-old boy. The identities of these victims have been verified. Among these deaths, Bago Region recorded the highest number of fatalities, totalling (10), followed by (9) people in Sagaing Region. Meanwhile, (30) people were killed by the junta’s airstrikes, marking the highest cause of death, (8) people who were killed by the junta’s artillery strikes. During the stated period, the AAPP has also received information regarding the death of (63) civilians, as a result of junta attacks, whose identities have yet to be confirmed.  

War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Mass Murders Committed by the Military Junta

Serious International Crimes Committed by the Military Junta

The Documentation and Research Department of the National Unity Government's Ministry of Human Rights reported that, in figures updated on 30 June 2026, the military junta carried out widespread aerial attacks, massacres, forced conscription and other grave human rights violations across Myanmar during May 2026.

According to the department, the junta conducted 173 aerial attack cases involving a total of 501 individual strikes throughout the month, killing 110 people. Of the 501 strikes, 370 were airstrikes, 85 were drone attacks, 34 were gyrocopter attacks and 12 were paramotor attacks. Among the 110 people killed, 17 were children under the age of 18 and 39 were adults, while the ages of the remaining 54 victims had yet to be confirmed. A further 158 people were injured, including 12 children under the age of 18 and 43 adults, with the ages of 103 of the wounded still unverified. The junta's aerial campaign also destroyed 14 schools, 14 religious buildings and one medical facility during the month.

The department further recorded nine massacres committed by junta forces in May 2026, defined as incidents in which at least five people were killed in a single case, resulting in 78 deaths. Of those killed, nine were children under the age of 18 and 12 were adults, while the ages of 57 victims remained unknown. By gender, 27 of the dead were men and 12 were women, with the gender of 39 victims unconfirmed.

The department also documented 33 cases of forced conscription during the month, affecting 173 people. Magway Region recorded the highest number, with 97 people conscripted, followed by Mon State with 31, Mandalay Region with 25, Tanintharyi Region with 11, Yangon Region with eight and Ayeyarwady Region with one.

In total, the department recorded 474 human rights violations across Myanmar in May 2026. The most frequently documented violations were property destruction with 105 cases, extrajudicial killing with 101 cases and other violations with 88 cases, followed by forced labour with 72 cases, arbitrary arrest with 31 cases, forced displacement with 19 cases, torture with 17 cases, restriction of freedom of movement with 12 cases, destruction of religious buildings with 11 cases and arbitrary detention with nine cases.

The department also recorded three cases of enforced disappearance, three cases of unfair trial, and one case each of attacks on a medical centre, the use of child soldiers and violations of freedom of expression. By location, Magway Region recorded the highest number of violation cases with 95, followed by Sagaing Region with 79, Mandalay Region with 55, Tanintharyi Region with 44, Rakhine State with 42, Bago Region with 39, Chin State with 34, Kachin State with 19, Ayeyarwady Region with 19, Mon State with 16, Yangon Region with 14, Karen State with 12, Karenni State with three, Shan State with two and Nay Pyi Taw with one.

The scale and systematic nature of the junta's aerial bombardment, mass killings, forced conscription and other abuses documented across Myanmar during May 2026 constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law and it may amount to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity under International Law.

Junta intensifies Four Cuts strategy in western Pakokku Township, blocking food and medicine supplies

Mizzima reported that the military junta has severely intensified its Four Cuts strategy in western Pakokku Township, Magway Region, completely blocking the transport of food, medicine and basic goods to neighbouring areas including Pauk, Myaing and the Yaw region since mid-May.

The junta banning the transport of goods throughout western Pakokku, those fleeing conflict in these areas are suffering a double blow, facing steadily rising commodity prices and severe goods shortages alongside displacement. The official said that people are heavily displaced by the conflict and that junta military columns are operating in the area, adding that with all these factors combined, everything seems to be heading towards a state of general crisis.

Since 14 May, the transportation of goods, including food and medicine, from Pakokku to western areas such as Pauk, Myaing, Myitchay and the Yaw region has been blocked. The official added that while similar blockades have occurred throughout the post-coup period, the current situation has significantly worsened.

Similarly, supply routes leading to Pauk Township in Magway Region have been blocked since 1 May. An official from the Pauk Township Department of Social, Labour and Humanitarian Affairs noted that the township is currently experiencing acute shortages and the prices of remaining goods have skyrocketed. The official explained that rice prices have surged dramatically, with a rice sack that normally costs 85,000 to 90,000 MMK now selling for around 100,000 to 110,000 MMK, and that even then, it can only be purchased in limited quantities. He further mentioned that because locals are currently displaced and job opportunities are scarce, the suspension of trade flows combined with rising prices has caused severe distress. Consequently, emergency assistance is urgently needed to support the IDPs as much as possible.

In areas where goods flows have been cut off, the junta has also been launching military offensives. According to the Anya Myay Coalition Forces, a junta column killed six civilians, including a CDM school teacher, near Tabyin Village in Saw Township within the Yaw region. The junta's deliberate blockade of food and medicine to civilian populations, combined with attacks on civilians, constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Junta airstrikes and ground attacks kill three civilians in Okpho Township, Bago Region

Local media reported that the military junta has intensified its offensive in Okpho Township, Tharrawaddy District, Bago Region, killing three civilians, wounding another and triggering mass displacement through a combination of airstrikes and ground ambushes.

On 27 May at around 10:15 am, a junta jet fighter carried out an airstrike on Chaung Gwa Gyi Village in Okpho Township. During the attack, a 50-year-old resident identified as U Paw Hla was struck by bomb shrapnel and died at the scene, according to residents. A local resident said that he had been transporting three horses from Thayet Hnit Phyar Lein Village to Chaung Gwa Gyi Village, and that just after arriving in Chaung Gwa Gyi, he was struck by the bomb and died instantly. The three horses he brought with him were also killed. The airstrike also damaged a school building and several homes in Chaung Gwa Gyi Village.

In a separate incident on 26 May, a junta infantry column that arrived in Kaing Gyi Village, Okpho Township, captured and killed two local residents, identified as U Pho Zaw, 40, and U Aye Gyi, 51, as they were returning to the village. According to local sources, junta troops also confiscated and looted money belonging to the victims. A local resident said that the two men had returned to the village believing the military column had already withdrawn, but instead encountered a junta ambush position and were shot dead. The junta troops also took the money belonging to U Pho Zaw.

In addition, on the morning of 28 May, a junta aircraft dropped two bombs on the eastern side of Htan Pin Kone Village in Okpho Township. A local woman was seriously injured in the attack and is said to be in critical condition.

Local sources said the military junta has continued carrying out ground offensives and airstrikes across Okpho Township, forcing many residents to flee their homes. Displaced civilians are reportedly unable to return to their villages and are now in urgent need of emergency food assistance. The junta's deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects, including a school, constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Junta offensive in Saw Township forces thousands to flee amid intensifying airstrikes

Myanmar Now reported that a major junta offensive in Magway Region's Saw Township, near the border with southern Chin State, is forcing thousands of civilians to flee amid intensifying airstrikes and ground assaults, according to local resistance groups and residents.

Junta army columns have been advancing towards the border area from southern Saw Township and neighbouring Pauk Township in recent weeks, sources told Myanmar Now. The area is considered strategically important because it connects central Myanmar's Magway Region to Chin and Rakhine states. An official from Yaw Alinn Tan, a local group monitoring junta activities in northern Magway's Yaw region, of which Saw Township is a part, said the scale of the operation was unprecedented. The official said that the junta had never launched an offensive into the Yaw region with such large numbers before, estimating the combined troop strength at around 1,000 soldiers.

On 19 May, a column of roughly 500 troops from Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI) Factory 25 arrived in Laung Shey, a village in southern Saw Township, according to local residents. About 150 soldiers reportedly remained behind in Laung Shey while the rest continued on to the town of Saw, about 11 miles to the north. Meanwhile, another column has been approaching Saw Township from DDI Factory 24 in neighbouring Pauk Township, travelling west across the Ponetaung mountain range, according to local resistance forces. During the second week of May, allied resistance forces repeatedly hit the column, which reportedly includes troops deployed from Mandalay Region, in a series of ambushes.

A resistance official in Pauk Township said soldiers who defected from the column indicated the operation's objective was to reach the town of Kyaukhtu, a strategic gateway to southern Chin State. The junta began sending reinforcements to the nearby village of Kan Gyi, located along a key trade route linking Magway Region and Chin and Rakhine states, in late April, according to locals. Residents said the military build-up had forced the closure of the road from Saw to Kan Gyi, which continues on to Mindat, a resistance-held town in southern Chin State. In Saw Township, local resistance authorities have urged civilians living along sections of the road to evacuate to safer areas.

In addition to ground operations, the junta carried out repeated airstrikes in the region, according to local monitoring groups. A Y-12 aircraft conducted eight attacks in the Kyaukhtu area on 20 May, while three fighter jets dropped bombs during six separate strikes, the Yaw Alinn Tan official said. Airstrikes also targeted areas along the border of Pauk and Saw townships, as well as Pauk's border with Myaing Township, according to the local monitoring group We Love Myaing.

Thousands of civilians have fled villages in Saw Township and surrounding areas amid the fighting. A humanitarian official in Pauk Township said about 8,000 people from villages southwest of DDI Factory 24 had been displaced. The official said that there had been a storm a few days earlier, followed by a few days of light rain, and that when civilians have to relocate repeatedly, they face food shortages and transportation difficulties, with skin diseases also common.

Far from moving towards peace, the junta has instead intensified its offensives nationwide in an effort to regain lost territory, according to local sources. Recent fighting has forced resistance groups to withdraw from several towns, including Falam in northern Chin State and Tigyaing, Indaw and Maw Luu in Sagaing Region. The junta's intensified aerial and ground offensive against civilian areas, forcing the mass displacement of thousands, constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Junta raids in Pakokku Township displace nearly 20,000 villagers opposite Bagan

Myanmar Now reported that nearly 20,000 villagers have fled their homes in Pakokku Township of Magway Region in recent weeks as junta troops carrying out raids along the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River opposite Bagan, according to residents and aid groups.

The junta operation began on 8 May, when a column of nearly 700 troops from Light Infantry Battalion 101 advanced from the town of Pakokku into the area around Myit Chay, a village about 18 miles to the southwest, according to local sources. Residents said the offensive has triggered one of the largest waves of displacement the area has seen in recent years. One local resident told that they had been forced to leave their homes before, but that this time was the worst, adding that everyone in the area had had to flee.

Civil society group Anyar Taw Ein said at least 19,100 people from more than 30 villages have been displaced. Many have taken shelter in nearby forests, while others are staying in temporary camps. Aid workers said displaced villagers face worsening humanitarian conditions, with shortages of food, medicine and sanitation facilities. One aid worker said that what they mainly needed were rice and cooking oil, and that if displacement continued and became long-term, problems would arise with shelters and makeshift latrines. He warned that overcrowded camps could face serious sanitation problems as existing latrine pits overflow and the number of facilities becomes insufficient. Children and elderly people among the displaced are also in need of medicines, particularly for dysentery and flu, according to aid workers, who said the approaching rainy season is increasing concerns about shelter and disease.

Residents and aid groups also said that junta troops of carrying out deadly attacks on civilians. On 14 May, troops advancing through the Myit Chay area reportedly raided and burned the village of Htan Taw Chauk, located across the Ayeyarwady River from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bagan. Residents said a mother and her infant child who were unable to flee were shot dead and their bodies later burned. A member of Anyar Taw Ein confirmed the killings and said seven villages have been set ablaze since the junta raids began, though the total number of homes destroyed remains unclear. The aid worker said that residents from Htan Taw Chauk had been displaced since 2025, and that some later returned and rebuilt makeshift homes there, before junta troops returned and set fire to the village until all houses were burned down.

Clashes between local resistance forces and junta troops were continuing in the area, according to local sources. The violence has also heightened insecurity along the Popa-Bagan road, where reports of abductions have become increasingly common. Local resistance groups and the junta have blamed each other for the incidents, but no group has claimed responsibility and no action has apparently been taken. Security concerns have also hurt tourism in Bagan, one of Myanmar's most popular historical destinations, creating further hardship for residents who depend on visitors for income.

The latest offensive comes as the junta expands operations across Magway Region. Thousands of troops have also been deployed in nearby Pauk Township and in areas near the border between Chin State and the Yaw region of northern Magway. On 18 May, troops stationed at a junta munitions factory in Seikphyu reportedly advanced into Pauk Township, forcing nearly 6,500 residents from seven villages to flee, according to the National Unity Government's local humanitarian relief department. The junta's raids on civilian villages, including the killing and burning of a mother and her infant child and the arson of civilian homes, constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Human Rights Abuses

Junta detains Buddhist abbot in Mogaung Township after monastery refusal

Myanmar Now reported that the junta has been holding a Buddhist abbot in custody since last week after he refused to allow an ethnic militia allied with the junta to use his monastery in Kachin State's Mogaung Township, according to local and resistance sources.

U Kay Thara was arrested on 14 May after he repeatedly denied requests by the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) to let troops station at his monastery in Ingyinkone, a village about 23 miles south of the town of Mogaung. The source said that the SNA had asked him two or three times to let them camp at the monastery, but he would not allow it, and that he told them to leave and they did, before they returned at around 11 that night with cars, broke the door lock, arrested the abbot and took him away. The abbot was first taken to the village of Kahnyinmyaing, where the SNA's Brigade 565 is based, but was later transferred to the junta's Military Operations Command 3 headquarters in Mogaung.

Resistance and local sources say the monk was forced to disrobe and has been subjected to beatings while under interrogation inside the junta compound. Military’s lobbies claimed that the monk is suspected of having ties to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which is also active in the area. However, a source close to the KIA said that U Kay Thara, 54, has no affiliation with the group. The source said that he has no connection with the KIA, noting that the senior monk, who ordained more than 30 years ago, was known as a supporter of Myanmar's ousted ruling party, the National League for Democracy. The source said that before the coup, during the 2015 and 2020 elections, he urged people to vote for the NLD.

The SNA, which is active in parts of Kachin State and Sagaing Region, has aligned itself with the junta since it illegally seized power in 2021, and has since conducted joint military operations with junta forces, according to local residents and resistance groups. The arbitrary arrest, forced disrobing and beating of a Buddhist monk, alongside the occupation of religious premises, constitutes grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

MIP report documents digital repression and arrest of 374 people for online expression

Myanmar Internet Project (MIP) reported that a total of 114 women are among 374 individuals arrested and detained for exercising their freedom of expression online, according to a recent report by the organisation.

The report, titled The Military Junta's Digital Repression Ecosystem and released in late May, compiled data based on official announcements made by the military junta between February 2022 and July 2024. The findings show that since the 2021 coup, the military junta has significantly intensified digital repression by implementing internet shutdowns, deploying surveillance technologies and weaponising unjust laws to silence dissent. These measures have created an environment of severe anxiety for everyday citizens, prompting widespread self-censorship. A female resident of Yangon said that she had deleted all previous posts, including old protest photos, and eventually switched to a new phone to ensure no sensitive data remained before travelling outside.

The MIP report highlights that internet shutdowns pose severe physical dangers to women, including women's rights activists. Because users are forced to travel to remote locations to find a signal, they face increased risks of violence and intensified gender-based discrimination. A source who recently managed to contact family in Rakhine State described the arduous journeys required to bypass regional disruptions, stating that individuals in the Thandwe area must travel over 10 miles or make overnight trips by motorcycle or car, followed by a two-hour hike up a mountain just to access phone services. Due to the ongoing communications blackout, it was the first time in over two years the source was able to reconnect with their family.

The MIP report documents and analyses these lived experiences, concluding that the junta's pervasive digital crackdown directly enables the targeted harassment and intimidation of women's rights defenders and pro-democracy activists across the country. The junta's systematic digital repression, including internet shutdowns, mass surveillance and the arbitrary arrest of hundreds of people for online expression, constitutes a grave violation of the right to freedom of expression and other protections under international human rights law.

Human Rights Myanmar report finds digital platforms failed independent media during sham elections

Human Rights Myanmar reported that major digital platforms failed to protect Myanmar's independent media during the junta's 2025 to 2026 sham elections, enabling censorship, threats and financial exclusion against exile-based journalism, according to a new report.

The report, released in May in partnership with the Institute for Press and Communication Management (IPCM), noted that after the 2021 coup forced many media outlets into exile, independent Myanmar media became increasingly dependent on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. However, this reliance exposed journalists to digital hostility and opaque moderation systems during the junta-organised elections held between December 2025 and January 2026. The report described the polls as a sham election widely rejected by the international community and regional bodies. Among the report's key findings, 69 per cent of the surveyed media outlets said that online threats to their operations worsened in the lead-up to the elections, while 91 per cent reported that their organisations experienced digital attacks during the electoral period.

Researchers said platforms frequently removed journalism documenting conflict and alleged junta abuses. According to the report, every outlet surveyed had at least some content deleted by automated moderation systems, with 76 per cent of the outlets reporting the deletion of journalistic photographs and 59 per cent reporting the loss of video content from their channels. The report noted that one journalist said really important news had been censored. The report argued that platforms failed to distinguish between graphic propaganda and legitimate reporting on war crimes and violence in Myanmar's civil war. One editor told researchers that by deleting their conflict coverage, the platforms were penalising the witness and helping the murderer hide the evidence.

Human Rights Myanmar also highlighted the collapse of effective appeals mechanisms. While 88 per cent of outlets attempted to challenge content removals, 82 per cent described the process as useless due to the lack of human review and contextual understanding. The report further found that half of surveyed media outlets received no platform monetisation revenue, largely because exile media could not meet corporate registration requirements imposed by tech companies. As a result, many outlets faced significant financial hardship.

Women journalists faced particularly severe abuse, with 77 per cent of respondents reporting technology-facilitated gender-based violence, such as harassment, deepfake imagery and attacks targeting their families. The report called on digital platforms to establish Myanmar-specific human moderation systems, protect public-interest journalism from arbitrary deletion and reform monetisation rules for exiled media outlets.

Junta forced conscription arrests spread fear among Yangon youths

Mizzima reported that young people in some townships in Yangon are worried about arrests related to forced military service, according to local residents.

Residents said that youths who are within the age range for military conscription are living in fear as arrests have been taking place in several townships across Yangon. It was learnt that At around 5:00 am on 18 May, in a ward in Mingaladon Township, junta soldiers arrested people who had received conscription notices but failed to report for service. He said that they stormed into houses around 5 am in large numbers, and that even offering money could not stop them from taking people away, adding that those who were arrested had already been ordered to serve in the military but had not yet gone. He added that following the incident, many young people in the neighbourhood are worried that they could be targeted next.

A resident from eastern Dagon Myothit Township also said that arrests are occurring almost every night in local neighbourhoods. The resident said that junta forces arrived in cars and took away young people, with some dragged out of their homes while others were seized on the streets, and that it was happening almost every night. According to the Rangoon Scout Network, arrests linked to forced recruitment have also been reported in several Yangon townships, including North Okkalapa, Thaketa and Hlaing townships. The junta's forced conscription and the arbitrary arrest of young people from their homes and streets constitute grave violations of international human rights law, including the prohibition on forced labour.

Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta

Resistance forces capture Pyu Saw Htee base in Myaing Township, Magway Region

Myanmar Now reported that resistance forces captured a base operated by the pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia in Magway Region's Myaing Township on 23 May. The base, located in Tha Yet Kan, a village about 13 miles south of the town of Myaing, was defended by around 150 junta soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members, according to resistance sources. Intensive airstrikes were also carried out by the junta during the battle for control of the base. Tha Yet Kan is considered strategically important because it lies near the Pathein-Monywa road and routes connected to local oil fields, making it a key location for military operations and communications in the area. Bo Bo Thant Zin, information officer for the Anyar Myay Coalition Force, one of the groups involved, said that with the base dismantled and barriers cleared, their routes were now open and the movement of goods had improved, while for the junta its position had been significantly weakened, leaving no route to advance.

Resistance forces launched their attack on the night of 22 May amid heavy rain. During the fighting, nearly 70 junta soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members fled, Bo Bo Thant Zin said. He said that they fled to Twin Ma, the nearest village, about two miles from the battlefield, with both wounded and able-bodied personnel, and that they left 49 people behind, mostly the elderly, the sick and children, while the rest withdrew before they could be captured. Bo Bo Thant Zin said the 49 people remaining at the base when it was seized were given medical treatment. Tha Yet Kan once had a population of about 2,000, but residents have gradually left since the junta established a base in the village, according to resistance groups.

During the battle, four junta personnel were killed, according to resistance sources. Resistance fighters also seized 11 carbines and six home-made firearms of a type commonly supplied by the junta to militias, as well as ammunition and several landmines. The Anyar Myay Coalition Force said two resistance fighters were killed and four others were wounded.

Following the loss of Tha Yet Kan, the junta reportedly airlifted about 100 reinforcements, along with weapons and ammunition, to a heavy industry facility about four miles from Myaing, Bo Bo Thant Zin said. He said that after deploying the reinforcements, junta forces had been shelling surrounding villages with 60mm and 120mm artillery, and had also carried out continuous attacks using drone-dropped bombs. The increased artillery and drone attacks have forced residents of nearby villages to flee. Locals were also warned to avoid entering Tha Yet Kan because of the risk posed by landmines and the possibility of renewed fighting.

Resistance forces capture police station in Depayin Township, Sagaing Region

Myanmar Now reported that anti-junta forces captured a police station in Sagaing Region's Depayin Township over the weekend after two days of fierce fighting that left at least 11 junta troops dead.

The battle for the police station in Saing Pyin, a town in Depayin Township about 40 miles north of the Sagaing capital Monywa, began on 14 May, the Shwebo District Command of the People's Defence Force (PDF) said. Weapons and ammunition were seized during the operation, the group said in a statement. The station commander, Police Second Lieutenant Win Zarni Aung, fled during the fighting.

The Saing Pyin police station had served as a base for junta troops since the 2021 coup. Resistance forces said that soldiers stationed there regularly looted and burned homes in nearby villages, while also gathering intelligence used for airstrikes on civilian targets, including schools and hospitals.

The capture marks a significant victory for anti-junta forces, which have faced intense pressure from the junta in recent months. Observers said the operation was particularly notable because of the station's proximity to the junta's Northwestern Regional Military Command headquarters in Monywa. Resistance fighters later withdrew from the site after clearing the buildings and removing landmines.

Saing Pyin and the town of Depayin are the only areas in Depayin Township still under junta control. Following the fall of the Saing Pyin police station, only Depayin remains fully controlled by junta forces. Local residents welcomed the development, saying the junta presence had severely restricted travel and disrupted daily life. A resident of Saing Pyin said that when junta troops were stationed there, they could not travel freely, and that in the rainy season they had to take detours, with cargo trucks and cars getting bogged down because the roads were bad. The resident said some people needlessly lost their lives while travelling for health emergencies, and that now they could travel on the good road. Residents returning to the area were warned to avoid the police station because of remaining landmines and unexploded ordnance. The Shwebo District PDF also acknowledged entering civilian homes during the fighting to avoid airstrikes, and asked residents for their understanding.

On the same day the station fell, a junta convoy that included five armoured vehicles and a drone-jamming vehicle reportedly left the junta's regional command headquarters in Monywa and headed towards the area. The convoy, which carried around 100 troops, was later seen in Budalin, southwest of Saing Pyin. Resistance forces briefly captured the town of Depayin in August 2024 but withdrew after the junta launched a counteroffensive supported by air reinforcements. Depayin Township borders Ye-U, Khin-U, Shwebo, Budalin, Kani and Ayadaw townships and is widely regarded as a resistance stronghold, with anti-junta groups controlling most rural areas.

Activities of the National Unity Government and Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations

NUG intensifies coordination with ethnic revolutionary organisations following cabinet meeting

The National Unity Government (NUG) is actively coordinating with Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations (EROs) to transition political dialogue into practical ground-level implementation, according to an official spokesperson.

Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, told that ongoing discussions with ethnic allies are focused on executing concrete strategic processes rather than holding high-level talks alone. He said that based on the current political and military situations, they were intensively meeting and coordinating both within the NUG and with all revolutionary forces, noting that round-the-clock preparations were underway to streamline joint operations. He added that specific operational details remain confidential for security reasons.

The push for deeper coordination follows a pivotal NUG cabinet meeting held on 21 May, chaired by Union Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann. According to an official statement released by the NUG, cabinet members focused heavily on the progress of the Steering Committee for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF), the structuring of future federal units, and the implementation of interim public administration frameworks in liberated areas. International relations, healthcare, education and humanitarian affairs were also discussed and coordinated during the meeting, with attending Union Ministers and Deputy Ministers presenting updates on their respective sectors. Nay Phone Latt added that the specific details of these processes could not be disclosed at this moment.

In tandem with the main cabinet briefing, Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann held targeted bilateral sessions to address the resistance's financial and human rights compliance frameworks. The Prime Minister met separately with Union Minister for Planning, Finance and Investment U Tin Tun Naing alongside officials from the Spring Development Bank (SDB). He also held distinct consultations with Union Minister for Human Rights Aung Myo Min and administrative leadership from the Ministry of Defence to reinforce policy alignment across active frontlines.

NUG devolves administrative functions to Sagaing Federal Unit Government

The National Unity Government (NUG) announced that the historic ceremony transferring administrative functions between NUG and the Sagaing Federal Unit Government was successfully held on 1 May 2026. Acting President Duwa Lashi La, Union Prime Minister Mahn Win Khaing Than, Sagaing Federal Unit Government Prime Minister U Soe Oo, and members of both governments attended the ceremony.

The parties mutually approved the administrative transfer process presented by Union Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration U Lwin Ko Latt. Acting President Duwa Lashi La said the transfer demonstrated, through action, that a federal democratic union is truly being built. Union Prime Minister Mahn Win Khaing Than noted that this was the first practical implementation of federalism and that difficulties may arise, but stressed that mutual understanding, patience, unity and consultation would lead to the shared goal. Sagaing Federal Unit Government Prime Minister U Soe Oo pledged that the transfer marked an important milestone in federal state-building, and that the interim government would stand together with local people and make every possible effort until the revolution succeeds.

NUG Prime Minister marks fifth anniversary of People's Defence Force

Marking the fifth anniversary of the People's Defence Force (PDF) on 5 May, National Unity Government (NUG) Union Prime Minister Mahn Win Khaing Than commended resistance forces and outlined strategic and ethical priorities for the ongoing conflict.

Mahn Win Khaing Than stated that the resistance has advanced from utilising basic firearms to conducting coordinated operations with allied ethnic armed organisations, enabling the capture of multiple junta camps, towns and villages. Addressing recent tactical shifts, the Prime Minister clarified that temporary withdrawals represent strategic regrouping rather than defeat, urging forces to maintain operational determination.

The Prime Minister emphasised that military capability is fundamentally tied to ethical conduct. He instructed PDF personnel to prioritise civilian protection and ensure the humane treatment of prisoners of war in strict accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Concluding his address, Mahn Win Khaing Than called for heightened vigilance against opposing propaganda and reaffirmed the administration's commitment to unity in establishing a federal democratic union.

Myanmar ambassador urges Security Council to protect civilians and reject junta's rebranding

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, delivered a statement at the Annual Open Debate of the United Nations Security Council on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, held in New York on 21 May 2026.

The ambassador stated that impunity in one conflict setting can embolden perpetrators in another, and that the Security Council and the international community have a shared responsibility to uphold the protection of civilians in all conflict settings regardless of their degree of international attention. He thanked the Secretary-General for highlighting the protracted conflict in Myanmar in his report, including indiscriminate aerial attacks, the burning of villages and farmland, attacks on healthcare and connectivity disruptions committed by the military junta.

Given the deteriorating situation, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun said that the Security Council and the international community could undertake concrete measures to ensure effective and sustained protection of civilians in Myanmar, namely applying appropriate pressure on the military junta, strengthening accountability mechanisms for perpetrators, and addressing the root cause of the conflict. He warned that statements expressing concern have not deterred the military from indiscriminate airstrikes against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and that hasty and unwarranted attempts to engage bilaterally or regionally with the junta will not stop it from committing further war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The ambassador stressed that the nominal change in the military junta and their titles does not signal an institutional or systematic political change, nor a genuine commitment to peace and stability. He said the international community should pay serious attention to the aspirations of the people of Myanmar instead, and take a comprehensive approach to addressing the situation in Myanmar for sustainable peace and stability.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that civilians must be protected, and that this is not only a legal obligation but also a moral duty. He noted that the National Unity Government and major ethnic democratic forces in Myanmar are coordinating through the Steering Committee for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) to bring the military under civilian oversight and institute a system of transitional justice to achieve justice and accountability for victims of injustices during the conflict period. He urged the international community to extend effective support to the people of Myanmar and the SCEF in their collective efforts to eradicate the military dictatorship and build a federal democratic union for the protection of civilians.

Myanmar joined the Joint Commitments to Uphold the Protection of Civilians amid Reforms and Constraints

Myanmar, along with 88 United Nations member states in total, endorsed and adopted the Joint Commitments to Uphold the Protection of Civilians amid Reforms and Constraints, issued in New York on 21 May 2026.

The Protection of Civilians (PoC) Week was held at UN Headquarters in New York from 18 to 22 May 2026. During the week, the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, together with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), led the drafting of the joint commitments under the title Joint Commitments to Uphold the Protection of Civilians amid Reforms and Constraints. The Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations formally read out and issued the statement at UN Headquarters at 1300 hours on Wednesday 21 May 2026, with Myanmar among the 88 UN member states that joined as co-sponsors in endorsing and adopting it.

The adopted commitments include continuing to prioritise the protection of civilians as an important agenda item within the UN system, including the UN Security Council, and strengthening the reform processes currently under way at the UN so as to produce better protection outcomes for civilians. The commitments call for the protection of civilians to be prioritised despite the resource constraints facing the UN, and in particular for the protection of civilians to be observed and upheld not merely as an obligation imposed under international law but also as a moral duty. They further set out that diplomacy, mediation and the peaceful resolution of disputes should be treated as means to be used for the protection of civilians, that humanitarian assistance should be delivered without obstruction in accordance with international humanitarian law, international human rights law and refugee law, that perpetrators of violations against civilians should be systematically investigated and detained, that responsibility and accountability should be emphasised, and that manageable and flexible financial support should be provided to local actors and those responsible for civilian protection on the ground.

Response of the International Community

Meta removes 109 junta-linked accounts following Justice For Myanmar report

Justice For Myanmar (JFM) reported that Meta removed 109 Facebook pages, profiles and groups linked to the military junta, Mytel and its agents, MECtel agents, and accounts spreading propaganda from MRTV and MWD, following a report by the advocacy group.

JFM stated that the action was taken under a ban on military-controlled businesses and media that Facebook's parent company, Meta, implemented in 2021. Mytel and MECtel are both telecommunications networks that are part of the military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), under junta head Min Aung Hlaing, which is sanctioned by the EU, UK, USA, Australia and Canada. JFM said the two telecommunications networks generate revenue for the military and are used for digital surveillance, aiding and abetting the junta's ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity. It noted that while Facebook has removed Mytel and other military business accounts numerous times, they keep reappearing in an attempt by military businesses to market and sell products and services, sometimes using different names to evade identification.

JFM added that junta propaganda channels have also been removed by other social media platforms, limiting their ability to livestream and spread hate speech and disinformation. In the lead-up to the junta's sham election, MRTV was removed from the video streaming platforms Twitch and Kick, while MWD was removed from TikTok. JFM said more action was needed to block the junta online, demanding that Alphabet, Apple, TikTok and Telegram ban the military junta and its businesses from their platforms.

Justice For Myanmar welcomes resignation of Iceland's honorary consul to Myanmar over junta business ties

Justice For Myanmar (JFM) reported that, in a statement issued on 30 May, it welcomed the resignation of Ko Ko Latt as Iceland's Honorary Consul to Myanmar, with the junta crony voluntarily tendering his resignation after eleven weeks in the post. The post was formally withdrawn effective 15 May, as confirmed to JFM by the Icelandic Foreign Ministry.

The withdrawal came after the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs launched a review into Ko Ko Latt's business with the military junta, including EU-sanctioned entities, which JFM raised in a letter to Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir on 27 March that demanded the position be revoked. In the letter, JFM detailed Ko Ko Latt's business dealings with the illegally junta-controlled Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) and the military conglomerate Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), which are both subject to EU sanctions in force in Iceland. JFM stated that the junta uses revenue from MTE and other state-owned enterprises it illegally controls to purchase the arms and aviation fuel needed to carry out its widening attacks, including indiscriminate airstrikes and shelling that slaughter civilians and destroy hospitals, schools and places of worship.

JFM said the appointment had awarded false legitimacy to an illegal military junta that has been rejected by the Myanmar people. It called on the USA, UK, EU, Canada and Australia to impose targeted sanctions on the K K Business Group and its principals, including Ko Ko Latt, in response to its continued business with the junta and undermining of existing sanctions on MEHL and MTE. The junta's reliance on revenue from state-owned enterprises to finance its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure sustains ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in grave violation of international humanitarian law.

Quad foreign ministers address Myanmar crisis at New Delhi meeting

International media reported that a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New Delhi on 26 May included a brief mention of the crisis that has engulfed Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. A statement was released by the Foreign Minister of Australia, the External Affairs Minister of India, the Foreign Minister of Japan, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America on the occasion of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi, India, mentioning a number of issues of concern at this juncture.

With regards to Myanmar, the ministers stated that they remained concerned by the continuing conflict in Myanmar and its impact on the region. They reaffirmed their support for ASEAN's efforts and called for the immediate cessation of violence, the release of those unjustly detained, a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and dialogue between all parties and affected groups involved in the conflict. They added that they were also concerned about the impact of the crisis on regional security and the spread of transnational crimes.

The ministers further stated that the Quad remained deeply concerned about the proliferation of online scam centres within Southeast Asia and surrounding regions, which are linked to the spread of other transnational crime including trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, sexual extortion, illicit financing and other forms of cybercrime. They said they would deepen cooperation, particularly law enforcement and regulatory engagement, including strengthening partners' ability to combat online scam centres and associated transnational organised crimes.

One Burmese analyst, James Shwe, commenting on the Quad meeting, noted that Burmese people have been calling for action over the Myanmar crisis, including a restoration of democracy, stopping the violence and the release of the unlawfully arrested. He noted that over 60 civil society organisations sent a letter to the Quad meeting calling on the ministers to take action.

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Date: 31 May 2026

Permanent Mission of Myanmar, New York