Over 13,000 villagers from 13 villages on the Pathein to Monywa Highway in Sagaing Region fled their homes on 24 January because of junta clearance operations. 

The villages are in the eastern part of Yinmarbin Township and the northern part of Salingyi Township. 

"On 24 January at 1:00 p.m., a column of 100 Military Council soldiers marched from Shwe Taung Oo Hill, also known as Dalan [Informant] Hill into Yinmarbin Township, and carried out clearance operations in the villages”, said someone who leads public strikes in Yinmarbin and Salingyi. 

The junta soldiers also set fire to the villages after they cleared them, according to locals. Mizzima is currently trying to find out more. 

The 13 villages where junta clearances caused the villagers to flee were: Kyaysaekya, Hlekone, Htantawgyi, Silaungchaung, Yaykyipin, Ywarthit, Ywarhaung, Mya Yeik and Mya Sein villages in Yinmarbin Township and Ywarthar, Donetaw, Gonetaw and Kankone villages in Salingyi Township. 

According to the Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar), the junta has burned down 43,216 buildings and houses in the Sagaing region since the February 2021 coup until 24 January 2023 and the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar as of December 2022 had reached at least 1,912,769 due to armed conflict following the coup.