Military destroys churches in Chin and Kachin States

Airstrikes by the Myanmar military destroyed a Presbyterian church in Mindat, Chin State on 9 October, and the Htingnan Kachin Baptist Church (KBC) in Banmaw, Kachin State was set on fire on 12 October, marking the latest deliberate attacks on Christian places of worship in Myanmar’s ethnic minority regions.

At approximately 2.30pm on 9 October, two junta jet fighters originating from Magway airbase launched two bombing runs, dropping four bombs on two locations in Mindat. The aerial attack directly struck and destroyed the town’s Presbyterian church compound. While no civilian casualties were reported, the church building sustained catastrophic structural destruction.

Mindat, located in southern Chin State, has faced relentless military campaigns, artillery bombardment and aerial strikes since the February 2021 coup, resulting in widespread civilian displacement.

Separately, on 12 October at around 3.30pm, soldiers from the military’s 33rd and 88th Light Infantry Divisions set fire to and destroyed the Htingnan KBC and surrounding civilian homes in Shwe Pyi Tha Ward, in the 3-Mile area of Banmaw Township, Kachin State.

These attacks reflect a systemic pattern by the military regime targeting religious infrastructure in Christian-majority ethnic states, including Chin, Kachin and Karenni States. In Myanmar, race and religion are deeply intertwined, with Bamar-Buddhist ethno-nationalism forming the core ideology of the military regime. The destruction of churches serves as a direct retaliatory tactic against the Chin and Kachin revolutionary armed resistance movements, punishing civilian populations belonging to these Christian-majority ethnic groups. In these regions, churches function not only as sacred places of worship, but also as vital community sanctuaries, emergency shelters for displaced civilians, schools, and humanitarian distribution hubs.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘The destruction of the Presbyterian church in Mindat and the Htingnan Kachin Baptist Church in Banmaw are clear violations of international humanitarian law and freedom of religion or belief. Targeting and destroying places of worship that serve as spiritual and community lifelines for vulnerable populations is a grave crime. The international community must move beyond statements of concern and take concrete steps to cut off the junta’s access to aviation fuel and military hardware.’

Featured image depicts the Htingnan Kachin Baptist Church on fire on 12 October. Credit: Shiga Pyen U