Two civilians killed by military airstrikes in Hsipaw
Two civilians were killed, and another two were seriously injured in Hsipaw Township during retaliatory airstrikes carried out by the military on Tuesday, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilian homes were damaged in the regime attack. Two schools and one church were destroyed.
“Hsipaw is not in good condition. They conducted airstrikes almost all night,” a Hsipaw resident told DVB. Burma Air Force planes dropped at least 30 bombs on the township, located 46 miles (74 km) south of Lashio, where the Brotherhood Alliance’s Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) seized full control on Aug. 3.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), another member of the Brotherhood Alliance, confirmed the attacks on Hsipaw. The town has been under TNLA control since Aug. 12, but the military has stationed troops nearby. The TNLA claims that 21 civilians have been killed and 59 people, including 10 children, have been injured by military attacks on Hsipaw since Aug. 1.
Regime announces election planned for November 2025
The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) announced at a meeting with registered political parties in the capital Naypyidaw on Aug. 24 that a general election will be scheduled for November 2025.
“The chair of the UEC spoke about the accuracy of ballots and the possibility of electronic voting based on population and census data that will be collected in October,” Thein Kyi, the chair of the National Political Alliances (NPA) party, told DVB.
The UEC reportedly did not specify which voting system would be used nor did it mention how the regime would ensure safety for voters or political parties during campaigning. It stated that an election would not be held on one day, as was done in the past. Instead it seeks to have voting occur on multiple dates. Read more here.
Indian citizens freed from cyber scams in Myawaddy
The Indian Embassy in Yangon announced that 21 of its nationals were freed from the Dongmei cyber scam compound in Myawaddy Township, located on the Thai-Burma border in Karen State, on Tuesday. Six Indian nationals were released from a cyber scam compound on Aug. 20 and one was freed on Aug. 12.
“Since 6 July, 57 Indians have left Myawaddy compounds safely. Support of Myanmar authorities and local assistance is critical, and we thank them,” India’s embassy posted on its social media account. The Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP Myanmar) has documented that there are nearly 50 cyber scam compounds operating along the Thai border.
At least 25 cyber scam operations are in Myawaddy Township and at least 15 are in Tachileik, located in eastern Shan State near the Laos-Burma border, added ISP Myanmar. The U.N. stated that at least 120,000 people have been trafficked and forced to work as cyber scammers inside Burma.
News by Region
AYEYARWADY—Six civilians were arrested by the military for allegedly having ties with the People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Myanaung Township, located in northern Ayeyarwady Region on Monday.
“They were arrested at night for investigation. None of the family members have been allowed to meet with them since,” an anonymous source close to the military told DVB. The source added that they are being detained at the Myanaung police station.
BAGO—Pyay residents told DVB that two children drowned in Pyay on Monday. A 12-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother died. “The incident happened while it was raining heavily, and the water was flowing strongly downhill,” a Pyay resident told DVB. Most of Burma has experienced flooding caused by heavy rainfall since July.
MANDALAY—One civilian was killed and four were injured by an airstrike on a monastery in Taungtha Township, located 82 miles (132 km) southwest of Mandalay, on Monday. “There was no fighting but the fighter jet dropped six bombs that night,” a PDF spokesperson told DVB. Religious buildings, a school, and homes were destroyed by the airstrike.
NAYPYIDAW—Ma Jia, China’s Ambassador to Burma, met with the regime Minister of Foreign Affairs Than Swe in Naypyidaw on Tuesday. Regime media reported that they discussed ties between Burma and China, as well as Beijing’s “consistent support towards peace and sustainable socioeconomic development for Myanmar.”
Ambassador Ma Jia also met with the regime Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Min Naung. She presented her diplomatic credentials to regime leader Min Aung Hlaing on Aug. 19. Chinese diplomats have had several meetings with regime officials in Naypyidaw since Aug. 8.
SAGAING—Data for Myanmar has documented that nearly 500 civilians were killed and 464 were injured by artillery shelling, drone attacks, and airstrikes conducted by the military in Sagaing Region from January to July. It claimed that 43 civilians were killed and 36 were injured in 13 townships of the region in July alone.
Nearly 350 of the civilians were killed in Kalay, Monywa, Shwebo and Sagaing districts. A total of 106 civilians were killed and 190 were injured due to airstrikes in Sagaing Region in 2024 and more than 30 percent of the victims were women and children.
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