Arson attack destroys over 100 homes and ancient heritage sites in Magway Region’s ‘Little Bagan’

A Myanmar military column of over 200 troops has torched more than 100 homes and an unconfirmed number of historic religious structures in Pakhannge village—locally known as “Little Bagan”—in Magway Region’s Chauk Township.

The arson raid took place on Saturday as part of a regime counteroffensive against the People’s Defense Force (PDF), which is contesting control over central Magway.

Devastation of historic Bagan-Era heritage

Pakhannge, located 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Chauk town, is home to approximately 200 households and 81 historic religious buildings and temples dating back to the Bagan era (spanning the 9th to 13th centuries)—the historic foundation of the first unified Burmese empire.

Local relief workers and resistance representatives confirmed severe human rights abuses accompanied the assault:

• Human Shields Used: At least 20 civilians abducted during earlier raids on neighboring Aikyi and Thatyatkone villages were forcibly marched by regime forces to serve as human shields during the assault on Pakhannge.
• Cultural Heritage Targeted: PDF units operating under the command of the National Unity Government (NUG) condemned the military’s deliberate destruction of irreplaceable cultural and religious heritage sites.

An aid worker told DVB on the condition of anonymity that regime troops set fire to homes in Pakhannge village during its counteroffensive against the PDF in Chauk on July 25.

Escalating battles across Chauk Township

Fighting between regime and resistance forces across Chauk—located 71 miles (114 km) north of the region’s capital Magway—has escalated sharply as regime troops attempt to clear supply corridors advancing toward Chin State, where military forces have faced heavy resistance since April.

Chauk Township Conflict Timeline & Human Toll
├── Early June: Fighting erupts; >10,000 residents flee across 20 villages
├── July 10: 20 PDF fighters killed attempting to block junta column advancing to Chin State
├── July 15: Raid on Aikyi village leaves 1 civilian dead, 10 homes destroyed
├── July 20: Armed clashes intensify across central Chauk
└── July 25: Arson raid on Pakhannge destroys 100+ homes & historic Bagan-era structures

Expanding humanitarian emergency

The destruction of Pakhannge underscores a rapidly expanding humanitarian emergency across Magway Region, where the regime counteroffensive relies heavily on scorched-earth tactics.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), conflict-driven displacement across Myanmar’s northwest and southeast has reached historic highs since the 2021 coup, leaving millions without basic shelter, medical care, or food security as ground assaults and aerial bombardments continue.