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Print:This Short Update describes events occurring in Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thandaungyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. On 13 February 2026, the Burma Army dropped two bombs from a drone into Ab--- village, Way Htoo village tract, damaging six villagers’ houses. Then, on 28 March 2026, the Burma Army dropped two bombs from a fighter jet into Ad--- village, Way Htoo village tract, injuring a 16-year-old girl. The girl was sent to Af--- clinic in Way Htoo village tract, believed to be administered by the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW), where she received treatment for her injury.[1]
On 13 February 2026, at 2 pm, a drone of the SAC [State Administration Council,[2] also known as the Burma Army[3]] dropped two bombs into Aa--- (also known as Ab---) village, Way Htoo village tract,[4] Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thandaungyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. [At the time of the incident, no fighting was occurring in the village.] The first bomb landed outside of the village [and caused no injuries or damage]. The second bomb landed and exploded in the upper part of the village, damaging six villagers’ houses.
Following the first bomb’s explosion, villagers displaced to a riverbank located near the village. So, when the second bomb landed in the upper part of the village, villagers witnessed lots of smoke coming out of that area [the upper part of the village]. After the second bomb exploded, villagers returned to the village and checked what had been damaged. Villagers found out that an elderly villager named Daw[5] A---, 91 years old, did not manage to flee in time, as she was old and could not run. She was hiding under a house. The second bomb had landed and exploded [on a citrus tree] near where she was hiding. [She did not sustain any injuries.] Villagers offered comforting words to her.
The second drone strike [bomb] landed and exploded on a citrus tree. The shrapnel also hit other plantations and six villagers’ houses. Mostly, roofs of villagers’ houses were hit and damaged. The owners of the six houses are: Saw[6] B--- (62 years old), U[7] C--- (53 years old), Saw D--- (41 years old), U E--- (58 years old), U F--- (51 years old), and G--- (49 years old).
When asked, a former village tract administrator named Saw H--- said that he believes that the drone strike was conducted by the Aung Chan Tar army camp, which is based in Yay Thar Pyu place (in Way Htoo village tract). He continued and provided the information that on 13 February 2026, a graduation ceremony of the People’s Defence Force (PDF)[8] was held at a place 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the village. Thus, he hypothesised that the drone strike was targeted at the PDF’s graduation ceremony [and not at the village]; however, it [the drone] mistook the village with the PDF’s graduation place.
On 28 March 2026, at around 12:30 pm, a fighter jet of the SAC dropped two 250-pound bombs into Ad--- (also known as Ae---) village, Way Htoo village tract, injuring a villager [child]. The incident happened when Ma[9] I---, 16 years old, was foraging for vegetables, ferns and amaranth green leaves [a type of spinach], and catching fish in a stream [near a church compound]. Two 250-pound bombs dropped from a fighter jet of the SAC and landed behind a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church’s compound, at Ad--- village. The first bomb landed on the ground [and remained unexploded; KHRG does not know what happened to the unexploded bomb]. The second bomb landed and exploded on a tree, scattering the shrapnel around the area, and Ma I--- sustained an injury to the left shoulder blade, as she was foraging for leaves and fish. PDF [soldiers] carried the injured Ma I--- on a motorbike and sent her to Af--- clinic, Way Htoo village tract, where she received treatment, as a nurse applied medicine on her wound. In an interview, she expressed that she believes that the clinic was administered by the KDHW [Karen Department of Health and Welfare][10]. She did not have to pay for the treatment; however, she offered a voluntary contribution as suggested.
Further background reading about air strikes in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:
- ကဘီယူၤဟဲလံ Aircraft coming! : Impacts of air strikes on local communities and villagers’ protection strategies in Southeast Burma since the 2021 coup, November 2024.
- “Taw Oo District Short Update: Burma Army drone strike injured two villagers in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (March 2026)”, April 2026.
- “Photo Set: Burma Army air strikes on local communities, resulting in casualties, destruction, and displacement (January to December 2025)”, March 2026.
On 13 February 2026, the Burma Army dropped two bombs into Aa--- (also known as Ab---) village, Way Htoo village tract, Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thandaungyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. One of the bombs exploded and damaged six houses and plantations of villagers. The photo on the left shows one of the house roofs, which has holes from the shrapnel. The photo on the right shows a tree that was hit by shrapnel. [Photos: KHRG]
This photo was received in April 2026. On 28 March 2026, at 12:30 pm, the Burma Army dropped two bombs from a fighter jet into Ad--- (also known as Ae---) village, Way Htoo village tract, Daw Hpah Hkoh Township, Taw Oo District. Both bombs landed inside a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church’s compound. The photo shows the injury sustained by Ma I---, 16 years old, from shrapnel of the second bomb. KHRG is allowed to use this photo. [Photo: Local villager]
Footnotes:
[1] The present document is based on information received in February and April 2026. It was provided by a community member in Taw Oo District who has been trained by KHRG as a researcher 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: #26-21-D1; #26-21-A1-I1; #26-21-P1; #26-126-D1; #26-126-A1-I1; and #26-126-P1.
[2] The State Administration Council (SAC) was the name of the executive governing body of the Burma military regime created in the aftermath of the 1 February 2021 military coup. It was established by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 2 February 2021 and was 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. The military junta changed its name on 31 July 2025 from SAC to State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC), with Min Aung Hlaing retaining his position as chairperson.
[3] The terms Burma military, Burma Army, SAC, Tatmadaw, and junta are used interchangeably throughout this report to describe the Burma military regime’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 31 July 2025, the military junta changed its name to the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC).
[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] ‘Daw’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[6] ‘Saw’ is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name.
[7] ‘U’ is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.
[8] The People’s Defence Force (PDF) is an armed resistance established independently as local civilian militias operating across the country. Following the 1 February 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 5 May 2021 as a precursor to a federal army.
[9] ‘Ma’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[10] 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.
