A Mon monastery under the Rāmañña Nikāya Śāsanapala in Mawdaung township, Tanintharyi Region, was damaged during intense clashes along the Thai-Myanmar border and cannot be repaired due to ongoing fighting, according to the presiding monk.
Heavy fighting began on November 10 after joint resistance forces, including the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 4, launched attacks on the military junta’s Infantry Battalion 224 and a hilltop artillery base in Mawdaung.
During the clashes, mortar shell fire and airstrikes from junta bases near the border damaged several houses and the Rāmañña Nikāya Śāsanapala Monastery in Mawdaung, the monk told IMNA.
“The dining hall was completely destroyed. Windows on the second floor of the new building shattered. All the doors and window frames were damaged. A Buddha stupa donated from Thailand that was kept in the dining hall was burned down. Some other Buddha statues were also decapitated and damaged,” he said.
He added that repair work is not yet possible because fighting has intensified again, and no assistance has been arranged.
Four days after the escalation, on November 14, the Karen National Union announced that its forces had captured all military junta bases in Mawdaung township.
Some Mawdaung residents who fled toward the Thai border have been forced to return after Thai authorities did not allow them to stay. However, they remain on high alert due to continuing ground attacks, aerial patrols, and gunfire from the junta.
“Some people who were sheltering on the Thai side have come back, but they must keep their bags packed in case fighting breaks out again. The junta is still carrying out ground attacks. Resistance groups are still defending. Since November 14, there has been shooting almost every day. So people must stay cautious. The junta is patrolling with aircraft and continues to advance troops, so the situation is not safe,” the monk said.
Many displaced villagers are still hiding along the Thai-Myanmar border and nearby villages. Some reported that their houses were broken into and valuable items stolen while they were away.
Local residents warn that fighting may intensify again, as the military junta is trying to retake Mawdaung by blocking roads, launching repeated ground assaults, and firing heavy weapons.
Since local resistance forces took control of Mawdaung on November 14, all border trade and local business activity have stopped.
Mawdaung is an important border trading town that provides major customs revenue for the military junta.
