Military junta troops continue to move daily through Mon villages located between Kalain Aung and Malwe Taung in Yebyu Township, Tanintharyi Region, according to local residents and revolutionary forces.
Since early May, more than 100 military junta troops from battalions based in Kalain Aung have entered Mon villages along the Kalain Aung-Malwe Taung route and have continued moving from village to village, residents said.
The road section was previously controlled by Mon revolutionary allied forces. However, since October 2025, the military junta has repeatedly launched large-scale clearance operations in the area, a resident from Yar Phue village said.
“Whenever they enter, their total strength is more than 100 troops. But on the road, only around 50 are usually visible. They are trying to strengthen control over the area. They move from village to village mainly to monitor how much influence the revolutionary groups still have and whether they are still active in the area,” the resident said.
Nearly 10 villages with large Mon populations are located between Kalain Aung and Malwe Taung, including Kywetalin, Tharyarmon, Mile 60, Ma Yan Chaung, Yar Phue and Lawt Thaing villages.
A Mon revolutionary force official in the Yebyu area told IMNA that military junta troops had entered the area five times between October 2025 and April 2026, and the current operation marks the sixth incursion.
The official added that revolutionary allied forces often launch ambushes, landmine attacks and armed clashes when military junta troops enter or withdraw from the villages.
“They usually enter once every two months and stay around three days in each village. Revolutionary forces often carry out ambushes when the troops enter or leave the villages. Whether fighting occurs depends on where the military column advances,” the official said.
Residents in the Yebyu area also face frequent landmine explosions because both military junta troops and revolutionary forces have planted landmines along forest paths, near main roads and around plantations to target enemy movements.
As a result, residents fear renewed fighting in the area, while plantation work has also been suspended due to landmine risks.
