Junta forces conducted airstrikes and opened fire with machine guns this morning near the Dawei River crossing bridge, which connects the Dawei Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) to the Thai border.

Residents stated that clashes broke out between junta troops and revolutionary forces near the bridge, locally known as Kin Bridge, starting around 7:00 AM today, February 25.

A local man reported that following an exchange of heavy and light weapon fire, a junta fighter jet dropped a bomb and strafed the area with machine guns after 9:30 AM.

“The plane flew in. Right after dropping the first bomb, it started firing ‘rat-tat-tat’ with a machine gun,” he said.

The assault was supported by the junta’s artillery battalion in Kyauk Kanya and Light Infantry Battalions 406 and 407. Following the fighting, the junta blocked travel at the entrance and exit of Yephyu town and along the Yephyu-Dawei road.

“We don’t know the extent of civilian casualties yet. The roads are still blocked. The fighting calmed down around 10:00 AM,” the local man added.

Kin Bridge spans the Dawei River on the road leading to the Dawei Deep Sea Port.

Military tensions between junta forces and revolutionary groups have been high in Dawei District since the first week of February, with the junta consistently carrying out aerial attacks.

Following an MoU with Russia for the development of the Dawei SEZ, the junta has been trying to seize full control of the SEZ area; however, these attempts have so far failed. Additionally, the junta is upgrading the Dawei airport to support the special economic zone.

Since 2025, the junta has pivoted away from its original Thai and Japanese partners, seeking instead to secure Russian investment to jumpstart the project. In February 2025, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Myanmar and Russia.