Thousands have reportedly fled Myanmar's Sagaing Region, with some crossing into Manipur, as junta forces intensify operations along the strategic Kale-Tamu road.
Imphal, June 12: Fresh fighting in western Myanmar has reportedly forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes, with some crossing into Manipur, as Myanmar's military intensifies operations along the strategic Kale-Khampat-Tamu road near the India-Myanmar border.
According to reports from local residents and sources in Myanmar's Sagaing Region, the latest wave of displacement began after military forces launched a renewed offensive aimed at regaining control of resistance-held areas along the key transport corridor connecting Kale, Khampat and Tamu.
Residents said people from Kanan village, Khampat town and surrounding settlements started leaving their homes as military columns advanced and airstrikes were reported in nearby locations. While many displaced families moved towards Kale town and other relatively safer areas, others reportedly crossed into Manipur seeking refuge from the escalating conflict.
The exact number of people who have entered Manipur remains unclear, and there was no immediate official confirmation from Indian authorities regarding the arrivals. However, the developments have raised concerns in border areas of Tengnoupal district, which shares a boundary with Tamu Township in Myanmar.
Sources said accommodation facilities in Kale are increasingly coming under strain as displaced civilians continue to arrive. Housing shortages have reportedly worsened because the town is already hosting people uprooted by previous clashes in Sagaing Region and neighbouring Chin State.
The latest displacement follows reports that a military column operating from Tamu captured Nanmuntar village on June 8 as part of a broader operation to secure the Kale-Khampat-Tamu route. Resistance groups opposed to Myanmar's military government have controlled sections of the road for an extended period, disrupting transport and commercial movement along one of the country's most important border corridors.
The road is of strategic significance not only for Myanmar but also for regional connectivity. It forms part of the larger India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project, which is intended to strengthen trade and transportation links between South and Southeast Asia. Any prolonged disruption along the route has implications for cross-border commerce and movement in the region.
Observers say the military's latest offensive appears aimed at restoring access to border areas and re-establishing control over transportation networks that have increasingly come under the influence of resistance forces since the country's political crisis deepened.
Myanmar has remained engulfed in conflict since the military seized power in February 2021 after overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover triggered widespread resistance across the country, leading to the emergence of armed resistance groups and intensified fighting between the military and various ethnic armed organisations.
Sagaing Region has become one of the principal theatres of conflict in the country. Resistance groups have established strongholds across large parts of the region, while the military has responded with repeated offensives involving ground troops, artillery and air power.
The renewed fighting near Tamu is likely to be closely monitored in Manipur, where authorities have previously dealt with refugee inflows resulting from clashes in neighbouring Myanmar. The state shares a porous international border with Myanmar, and instability across the frontier has frequently had humanitarian and security implications for border communities.
Security analysts note that any sustained military operation near Tamu could trigger further civilian displacement and place additional pressure on border management mechanisms. It may also pose fresh challenges for local administrations if larger numbers of refugees seek shelter in Indian territory.
With the military offensive continuing and reports of ongoing clashes emerging from the area, residents along the border remain apprehensive about further escalation in the coming days.
