A middle school in Pyarsakhan Village has been forced to close temporarily after Myanmar military junta forces set up a base nearby following clashes with local resistance forces along the Taungoo-Thandaunggyi Highway. The escalation began on August 8 when resistance fighters ambushed a 17-vehicle junta convoy heading toward Thandaunggyi. In the aftermath of the attack, military troops established a position immediately adjacent to Pyarsakhan Village, creating an atmosphere of fear among residents. “No one dares to step outside, and the children are too terrified to attend school, forcing it to close.” The strategic highway connecting Taungoo in Bago Region to Thandaunggyi and Leiktho in Karen State has seen frequent clashes since the February 2021 military coup.