Myanmar Spring Chronicle – March 14 Scene
MoeMaKa, March 15, 2025
A Village in Sintgu Township Bombed; WFP Plans to Cut Aid
On the afternoon of March 14, the military junta carried out an airstrike on Let Pan Hla village in Sintgu Township, Mandalay Region, reportedly killing at least 27 civilians and injuring many others. The village, located along the Myitkyina-Mandalay highway, is a bustling settlement where vehicles often stop. It was taken over by MDY PDF (Mandalay People’s Defense Force) during military operations on July 10, 2023. Additionally, MDY PDF controls northern parts of Sintgu Township, while battles between junta forces and resistance groups continue in the southern areas near Madaya Township.
The airstrike targeted a busy marketplace in the village, resulting in a high civilian death toll. Although MDY PDF forces are present in the area, attacking a civilian gathering place like a market is seen as yet another war crime committed by the junta. Initial reports indicate at least 27 deaths and around 40 injuries.
In the broader region, TNLA (Ta’ang National Liberation Army) and local PDFs have been attacking artillery bases and battalion camps near strategic areas like Taung Kham village, which borders Mandalay Region and Northern Shan State. As the junta struggles to regain ground, it has resorted to intensified airstrikes on villages controlled by resistance forces along the Myitkyina-Mandalay route. The military’s notorious aerial bombings continue to cause mass civilian casualties while attempting to suppress PDF and ethnic armed groups.
Another major development today is the announcement by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) that it will suspend food aid for one million people in Myanmar due to funding shortages. Many of those affected are internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled conflict. WFP urgently requires $60 million to continue operations, and without it, assistance will be drastically cut, leaving only 350,000 vulnerable individuals—children under five, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and people with disabilities—eligible for aid.
While billions of dollars are spent globally on warfare and military supplies, humanitarian aid for people affected by prolonged internal conflicts is dwindling. Powerful nations prioritize military spending over funding humanitarian efforts through the UN. The rising number of displaced people and increasing armed conflicts worldwide are direct consequences of global power strategies, proxy wars, and the rise of authoritarian regimes manipulated by larger nations.
The arms industry and military contractors reap massive profits from conflicts, shaping a war-driven global economy. If Myanmar had not been engulfed in civil war, a country rich in water, land, and human resources would not be facing an emergency food crisis. However, ongoing armed conflict has devastated agriculture, trade, and local economies. Movement restrictions imposed by military forces have cut off trade routes and prevented the transportation of goods, leading to food shortages and economic collapse.
As the civil war drags on, livelihoods are being destroyed, and reliance on international humanitarian aid is increasing. The longer the conflict persists, the more Myanmar’s population becomes dependent on foreign assistance for survival.