SAC Airstrikes Drive Mass Evacuation of 10+ Villages in Kani Township, Sagaing Region

Junta airstrikes in the west and northwest areas of Kani Township, Sagaing Region, that began May 7, 2026, have forced residents of no fewer than 10 villages to evacuate their homes, according to Mizzima Spring Revolution Daily News for May 11. The Kani Township strikes follow a May 7 airstrike on a hospital in Winmana village (Kani Township, Sagaing Region) where two PDF members receiving medical treatment were killed. The scale of displacement — 10+ villages forced to evacuate in one township alone — reflects the junta's strategy of depopulating resistance-aligned areas through sustained aerial bombardment to deny the PDF its civilian support base and logistical infrastructure. Kani Township in Sagaing Region has been an active combat zone throughout 2025-2026 as PDF forces have operated throughout Sagaing. The displacement of thousands from 10+ villages in Kani adds to an already catastrophic internal displacement crisis: UN OCHA counted 3.6 million IDPs in Myanmar as of November 2025, of which Sagaing Region accounts for one of the largest concentrations. Displaced civilians from Kani have no access to formal camps and are sheltering in forests, temples, and neighboring villages, with inadequate food, medicine, or shelter during the hot season. Deaths from heatstroke among displaced persons have been reported in Sagaing and Mandalay Region in May 2026.