Military retakes key town in Sagaing Region from PDF
The People’s Defence Force (PDF) told DVB that fighting is still ongoing in the outskirts of Sagaing Region’s Tigyaing Township on Wednesday, despite the loss of the town to regime forces on March 26. Tigyaing, located 182 miles (292 km) northeast of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa, has been partially administered by the National Unity Government (NUG) since it was seized by the PDF in 2024.
A PDF member said that they were “overwhelmed” by airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force and drone strikes carried out by the regime’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Zin Yaw, a military defector, told DVB that if the regime regains control of the 58-mile (93 km) long Tigyaing-Katha road, it’ll be able to recapture Indaw town, 42 miles (67 km) north of Tigyaing. Indaw was seized by the PDF on April 7, 2025.
Tigyaing, Katha and Indaw are located along the road connecting Mandalay to Kachin State’s Bhamo Township, where fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and regime forces has been ongoing since 2024. Katha, 58 miles (93 km) north of Tigyaing, has been contested between the KIA and regime forces since December. Katha and Bhamo are 223-304 miles (359-489 km) north of Monywa and 214-278 miles (344-447 km) north of Mandalay.
UN draft resolution on human rights situation in Myanmar
The U.K. issued a joint statement with the E.U. welcoming the draft resolution submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC), on the “situation of human rights in Myanmar,” on Tuesday. The draft resolution, which was introduced during the 58th session of the HRC, states that Burma still constitutes one of “the worst-and most active-human rights crises” following the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021.
“The human rights crisis in Myanmar remains one of the most severe and urgent situations on our agenda, and the international community cannot look away,” said Eleanor Sanders, the U.K. human rights ambassador to the U.N., in a statement on March 31. “Recent military airstrikes, including in Rakhine, Magway and Sagaing, continue to destroy homes, religious sites and shelters for displaced communities.”
The draft resolution highlights the fact that Min Aung Hlaing’s regime continues to attack civilians in communities nationwide by carrying out airstrikes. It outlined “effective and targeted action” to stop the military from being able to access weapons to be able to carry out these attacks and referenced the conscription law enforced on Feb. 10, 2024, which stipulates that all male citizens aged 18 to 35, and women aged 18 to 27, must serve at least two years in the military. Read more
Read our latest story on the new UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Kelley Anne Eckels-Currie
Australian doctor serving Myanmar refugees wins national award
The Australian Embassy in Yangon announced on Monday that Dr. Rose McGready, who has provided healthcare to refugee communities along the Thailand-Burma border for over 30 years, was named Australian of the Year for 2026 by the National Australia Day Council (NADC), a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by the Australian Government.
The Australian Embassy in Yangon said in a social media post on March 30 that McGready, 61, has spent “more than 30 years training local staff to support women from Myanmar through childbirth in difficult conditions and to reduce malaria.” It added that McGready’s “commitment, compassion and clinical expertise provide life-saving aid to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.”
McGready was born and raised in Canberra, Australia. In an award video released by the NADC, she said she only intended to volunteer as a doctor along the Thai-Burma border for six months. “I got spellbound by the local Karen and Burmese staff in the camps, thinking that I had something to offer,” she said. Read more
News by Region
ARAKAN—The Arakan Army (AA) announced that four members of a family, including two children, were killed and three others were injured in Thandwe Township during airstrikes carried out by four Burma Air Force jets on Wednesday. Thandwe, located 534 miles (939 km) south of capital Sittwe, was seized by the AA on July 16, 2024.
A resident of Thandwe told DVB on the condition of anonymity that a Burma Navy ship docked in the sea near the township also fired rounds into civilian areas. The AA claimed that regime forces continue to intentionally target civilians. It added that urgent medical treatment is being provided to those injured during the attacks.
KAREN—The regime’s administration reopened the 27-mile (43 km) stretch of the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road along the Asia Highway, which connects the state capital Hpa-An to Myawaddy Township, along the Myanmar-Thailand border, with a ceremony on Thursday.
Thamein Tun, an executive member of the Karen National Union (KNU), told DVB that regime forces might have made an agreement with the pro-military Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) to provide security along the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road. Read more
NAYPYIDAW—Regime media reported that five Burma nationals and five Chinese nationals were sentenced 10-15 years in prison on March 24 under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law. All 10 were arrested in March at their homes in Yangon’s Mingaladon Township and the Shan State capital Taunggyi.
A legislative drafting committee was formed in Naypyidaw on March 14 to “prevent and suppress organized human smuggling and trafficking activities and networks,” according to the regime. Police are searching for three women from Yangon and Ayeyarwady regions in connection with this case.
SAGAING—The PDF in Salingyi told DVB that one liter of gasoline costs between 11,000-20,000 MMK ($2.6-4.7 USD). These prices are more than double or triple the regime’s reference rates. Salingyi, located 27 miles (43 km) south of the region’s capital Monywa, is partially administered by the NUG.
One litre of 92-octane gasoline increased 3,610-4,450 MMK ($0.80-1.05 USD) with 95-octane gasoline up 3,850-4,975 MMK ($0.90-1.10 USD). Diesel rose 4,390-5,450 MMK ($1-1.20 USD) with premium diesel 4,820-6,085 MMK ($1.10-1.40 USD) March 25 to April 2, according to the regime-controlled Petroleum Products Regulatory Department.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,310 MMK)
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