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Print:This Short Update describes events occurring in Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. On 21 July 2025, the Burma Army fired shells into Aa--- village, Zayat Gyi Taung Chan village tract, injuring a 14-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl. Additionally, houses of villagers were damaged. Following the shelling, villagers displaced themselves from the village. Later that morning, after villagers displaced, an aircraft of the Burma Army conducted an air strike into the village. The air strike did not injure anyone but damaged three villagers’ houses. The same day, more shells were fired by the Burma Army and damaged another villager’s house.[1]
On 21 July 2025, at around 8 am, three shells [fired by the Burma Army[2] Infantry Battalion (IB)[3] #73] landed inside Aa--- village, Zayat Gyi Taung Chan village tract[4], Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. Two shells landed inside Daw[5] A---’s house compound. The first shell landed behind the house, and the second shell landed behind the house in the pond, outside of the compound. However, the second shell remained unexploded. The third shell landed and exploded in front of the house’s stoop, which was made out of brick.
When the first shell exploded, the shrapnel injured the two daughters of Ma[6] B---, who were in their house, which is located right next to their grandmother, Daw A---’s, house. One of the daughters, Ma C---, 14 years old, sustained injuries to her left fingers and right arm. The other daughter, Ma D---, 7 years old, sustained a minor scratch on her forehead. As the shrapnel hit their house, it was completely destroyed. The house that they lost would cost 5,000,000 kyats (2,380.95 USD[7]) to rebuild.
Before the second and third shells were fired, the two injured children and everyone in the area displaced themselves. Thus, no other villagers sustained injuries. PDF [People’s Defence Force][8] healthcare workers transported Ma C--- to Ab---Hospital, in Toungoo Town, administered by the Burma military regime, to receive treatment. There, she got a steel implant in her fingers and got stiches. However, her fingers do not function the same as before. While there were no transportation difficulties as it was arranged by PDF healthcare workers, her treatment cost 2,000,000 kyats (952.38 USD). Ma D---'s minor injury was treated at home.
The family did not receive any support from anyone [and the family had to pay the full cost of the treatment]. Thus, the family suffered from the extreme financial difficulties. The family’s livelihood is rooted in subsistence living, relying only on daily earning to survive. They do not have any savings.
On the same day, an aircraft (fighter jet) conducted an air strike between 10 am and 11 am. No villagers were injured because villagers had displaced following the [shelling] incident. However, the houses of two villagers, Ko[9] E--- and Ko F---, were completely destroyed. In addition, the house of U[10] G---, a village tract administrator, was damaged.
Later, more shells were fired, according to villagers. One of the shells landed and exploded behind the house of U H---, 40 years old, near the kitchen. The family members had fled, thus no one sustained injuries.
Villagers reported that the shells were fired by SAC [State Administration Council][11] Infantry Battalion (IB) #73. There was no fighting, yet shells targeted Aa--- village. At least eight shells were fired, and one air strike was conducted. It is unknown how many shells were fired in total. According to the village head, U I---, eight houses were damaged.
Further background reading on the situation of shelling in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:
- Stolen Childhoods: Violations of children’s rights, urgent needs, and local agency in rural Southeast Burma during the conflict, October 2025.
- “Hpa-An District Short Update: Burma Army air strikes and shelling caused damages and displacement in T’Nay Hsah Township (September to December 2025)”, May 2026.
- “Taw Oo District Short Update: Burma Army shelling killed one villager, injured a pregnant woman, and caused damage in Daw Hpah Hkoh Township (December 2025 and February 2026)”, April 2026.
The photos were taken in March 2026, in Aa--- village, Zayat Gyi Taung Chan village tract, Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. On 21 July 2025, Burma Army Infantry Battalion (IB) #73 shelled Aa--- village, injuring Ma C---, 14 years old, and Ma D---, 7 years old. The photo on the left displays Ma C---’s scar on her right upper arm and the photo on the right displays the scars on her left-hand fingers. [Photos: KHRG]
Footnotes:
[1] The present document is based on information received in March 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: #26-102-D1 and #26-102-A1-I1
[2] 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).
[3] 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.
[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] ‘Ma’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[7] All conversion estimates for the kyat in this report are based on the 18 March 2026 mid-market exchange rate of $1 USD = 2,100 MMK, https://wise.com/gb/currency-converter/usd-to-mmk-rate
[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] ‘Ko’ is a Burmese title meaning older brother. It can be used for relatives as well as non-relatives.
[10] ‘U’ is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.
[11] 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.
