09/07/2025
Bagan, Nyaung U Battle: Both sides suffer casualties, army burns over 30 villages
July 9, 2025
Khit Ta Media
The Nyaung U Township, an ancient cultural site, has suffered casualties on both sides and the army is burning villages, according to the Nyaung U Township resistance forces.
The fighting in Nyaung U Township has been intense since July 1, with the military council troops advancing on villages in large numbers, according to Ko Zee, a spokesman for the Nyaung U Township People’s Defense Organization (PDO).
On July 1, a 100-strong military column that left the Meng Thraw Township Police Station east of Nyaung U burned down Xha Pa Le and Maung Gut Taw villages. On July 2, the military column that set out to burn down Maung Gut Taw village was intercepted by the resistance forces between Taung Taw village and Phalang Kan village, which led to the fierce fighting, Ko Zee said.
During the fighting, Ko Zie said that 11 people were killed, including 5 comrades from the Nyaung U Township PKK, 2 comrades from the Nyaung U District Battalion (5), 3 comrades from the Popa Production and Guerrila Force (PPGF), and 1 comrade from the Myingyan District Battalion (3).
In addition, the military council troops were also badly damaged and had to retreat, Ko Zie said.
"Our side also suffered casualties. The enemy side also suffered many casualties. The enemy side also lost more than 10 people. There are also eyewitnesses. There are also bodies," said a Nyaung U District PKK official.
The military council troops are advancing on villages east of Nyaung U and villages south of Bagan.
Since the third week of June, the military council troops have begun advancing on villages south of Bagan using two tanks and a force of about 500, according to the Bagan Bo Cho Army. It is said that the military has entered about 30 villages along the Bagan-Chauk road. During the invasion, villages have been burned, and locals have been killed and abducted, forcing the locals to flee.
Today (July 9), the military council troops burned down Chaungshai, Pedan, Zi Samyin, Kyauk Pyin Kan and Myoung villages south of Bagan, Ko Zie said.
"As of now, we are continuously entering the military council troops in Nyaung U Township. They have burned down more than 30 villages and are stealing people's belongings from the villages. The number of houses burned in the villages is approaching thousands," he added.
The military council troops are currently patrolling the city of Bagan and Nat Gyaw Sang village near Bagan with a large force, Ko Zie said.
The Nyaung U Pakafa also said that there were at least 10 clashes in the ancient cultural site in 2025.
In addition to the arrest of local youths in Nyaung U Township for military service, the Pyu Saw Htee militia is providing security training in villages. The Nyaung U Pakafa said that the situation is unacceptable and that it is conducting military operations in the Bagan region in 2025.
(View of the burned village. Photo - CJ)
