Myanmar’s regime blockaded Madaya town in Mandalay Region on Thursday amid fighting on the Mandalay-Mogoke road, leaving civilians stranded.
A Madaya resident said: “The regime blockaded the town. Junta soldiers set up two checkpoints outside the town and turned back displaced people. It is relatively stable in the town. Many shops have closed. The regime has deployed sentries. Some residents have left.”
Mandalay People’s Defence Force (PDF) has joined the renewed offensive launched by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army in late June on the border of Mandalay Region and Shan State.
The regime blockaded Madaya after Mandalay PDF said on Wednesday that it had seized five junta outposts and a police station in Singu Township.
Vehicles carrying over 15,000 displaced people from Mogoke to Mandalay are trapped in Zayat Kwin due to the clashes on the Mandalay-Mogoke road. They are reportedly short of food and fuel.
Zayat Kwin is around 80km from Mogoke and clashes are taking place in Letpanhla and Chaung Gyi, south of Zayat Kwin on the road.
A Madaya PDF member said on Thursday: “Fighting is taking place in southern Madaya, displacing residents from at least 10 villages. The regime has been conducting air raids, which continued this morning. Fighting is also taking place in northern Madaya. I can’t provide more details.”
Vehicles have been trapped for about four days between Madaya and Singu towns.
Madaya residents trying to reach Mandalay cannot pass junta checkpoints to the south with thorough junta checks on vehicles and motorbikes.
One witness said: “People carrying luggage are being turned back at the checkpoints. Everyone from Madaya are being turned back and are stranded by the road.”
Madaya is an hour’s drive from Mandalay city, bordered to the east by Pyin Oo Lwin Township and Nawnghkio in Shan State to the west with Sagaing Region to the north.
Anti-regime forces said they seized a police station in Letpanhla and a junta checkpoint in Pinlegyu village in Singu Township, 43km north of Madaya. They are attacking the police station in Chaung Gyi village, 67km north of Madaya.
