Myanmar Civilians Bombed as Junta Seizes River Crossings

A photo released by the junta of an airstrike on vehicles crossing the Irrawaddy on the Mandalay-Sagaing border. / Myawady Media

Fresh fighting in northern Myanmar has left civilians dead and displaced as junta forces tighten control over key crossings along the Irrawaddy River between Mandalay and Sagaing. The offensive comes after regime troops recaptured Singu town from the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and allied ethnic militias.

On Monday, the military claimed it had retaken the Yadanar Thein Kha Bridge, a vital link between Mandalay and Sagaing. Resistance fighters had previously destroyed sections of the bridge to slow the advance. Singu had been under PDF and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) control since last year, but recent regime gains—bolstered by airstrikes—have reversed much of that progress.

Locals report that civilians fleeing across the river have been directly targeted. On 17 December, five junta fighter jets bombed jetties in Sagaing’s Khin U township, killing seven people and injuring 15 more. Photos released by the regime show vehicles destroyed after crossing by barge, underscoring the vulnerability of those attempting to escape.

The offensive has also spread along the Sagaing bank, with attacks reported from Mingun to Wetlet Township. Sources say the military is blocking roads south from Shwebo to Sagaing city, aiming to cut off escape routes and prevent resistance forces from regrouping across the river.

The TNLA, which had spearheaded earlier offensives, recently handed back Mogoke under a China-mediated truce, while other towns including Madaya and Thabeikkyin have also fallen back into junta hands. Resistance groups now face mounting pressure as civilians continue to flee in large numbers.

Witnesses told The Irrawaddy that regime units are striking west-bank positions to trap those retreating from Mandalay’s Madaya and Singu. “They are attacking to cut off any escape,” one source said, describing clashes between junta troops and resistance fighters in Wetlet.

The latest escalation highlights the junta’s determination to secure strategic river crossings, even at the cost of civilian lives. For thousands caught between advancing troops and airstrikes, the Irrawaddy has become not a route to safety, but a deadly frontline.

-2025-12-24