Due to offensives by junta troops along the Shan–Karenni border and eastern Pekon Township, civilians have been forced to flee, with the displaced population in Karenni State increasing by an additional 30,000 in 2025 alone, according to local humanitarian workers.

“At the moment, we estimate that about 30,000 more people have been displaced.The main affected areas include eastern Pekon Township, western Loikaw Township, the Mawchi area, and Nan Mae Khon Township,” said U Banya, Deputy Secretary-2 of the Interim Executive Council (IEC) of Karenni State, speaking to Kantarawaddy Times.

Since June 9, displaced civilians in eastern Pekon Township, Nan Mae Khon Township, and several villages in Dee Maw HsoTownship have been in urgent need of assistance.

The surge in displacement is a direct consequence of the junta’s renewed territorial offensives, said a member of the CTER-Karenni relief group.

“In early 2025, the junta regained control of Moebye and advanced as far as Dee Maw Hso. As a result, the number of displaced people increased again, as villages that had previously returned home were once more forced to flee,” he explained.

Currently, the displaced are scattered across various parts of Karenni State. With the rainy season underway, shelter remains the most pressing need.

As displacement persists, the scale of humanitarian needs continues to rise. Long-term camp residents, who have been unable to return to their homes, are now enduring increasingly severe and difficult living conditions.

“We really need many kinds of support right now. Rice is the most urgent. When there are no rice donations, people here can barely find a day’s work just to get food for that day,” said a displaced woman from western Dee Maw Hso Township.

According to the IEC’s records, since the military coup in 2021 up to the present in 2025, Karenni State has seen around 250,000 displaced persons, spread across approximately 450 displacement sites.