The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday that, since the beginning of July, hostilities in the city of Pokkoku in Myanmar’s Magway Region have reportedly triggered the displacement of over 20,000 people, according to preliminary figures. This new displacement comes on top of the roughly 80,000 people who have already fled the area since May.
In an update on Monday, OCHA emphasized the critical need to protect civilians fleeing their homes amid reports of an escalation in military operations in the area. The humanitarian office reiterated that all parties must protect civilians and ensure safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, in line with international humanitarian law.
Despite shrinking funding, insecurity, and access challenges, aid agencies are working to assess and respond to people’s needs. Myanmar remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, although it is often overlooked by the global public. More than 16 million people are in need of assistance and protection this year, including approximately 5 million children.
The humanitarian emergency is characterized by ongoing armed conflict, widespread displacement, human rights violations, severe economic deterioration and compounding natural disasters. Needs in Myanmar have risen dramatically since the military takeover five years ago, a situation exacerbated by the devastating earthquake that struck the country in 2025.
Some 5.3 million people from Myanmar have been forced to flee their homes. An estimated 3.8 million are internally displaced and around 1.5 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. For the nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, a safe return to Myanmar remains impossible while the conflict within the country rages on.
The fighting affects most of the country and is rated as one of the deadliest conflicts in the world. Intense fighting and displacement continue to affect the northwestern and southeastern regions, including Magway, Sagaing, Chin, Bago, and Kayin. Meanwhile, the states of Rakhine, Shan and Kayah face the ongoing risk of aerial attacks and armed clashes.
While humanitarian organizations are working to save lives, needs continue to outpace resources. Of the US$890 million required for the 2026 response to provide critical life-saving assistance and protection services to 4.9 million people in Myanmar, only $387 million has been received to date — less than 44 percent of what is needed.