During the reporting period, the overall population across the seven monitored districts decreased significantly from 1,160,605 in August to 944,711 in October, representing a net reduction of 215,894 individuals (-18.6%). While localized lulls in fighting enabled some households to return to their places of origin, ongoing military airstrikes and indiscriminate shelling, including in non-frontline areas, continued to undermine civilian safety and trigger widespread secondary displacement.
Population movements varied considerably across districts. Doo Tha Htu District recorded a modest decrease of 4,199 individuals, from 144,362 to 140,163 (-2.9%), while Taw Oo District experienced a decline of 10,867 individuals, from 176,997 to 166,130 (-6.1%), as insecurity pushed households out of monitored areas. Hpa-an District also reported a slight decrease of 1,425 individuals, falling from 40,777 to 39,352 (-3.5%), reflecting continued localized instability that hindered sustainable returns.
The most substantial change was observed in Kler Lwee Htoo District, where the population declined by 202,477 individuals, from 361,046 to 158,569 (-56.1%). This sharp decrease was driven by localized returns and repeated secondary displacement, which led many families to relocate outside monitored areas. In contrast, Mutraw District recorded a notable increase of 8,841 individuals, rising from 75,618 to 84,459 (+11.7%), as displaced households sought refuge from active fighting. Meanwhile, Mergui-Tavoy District saw a decrease of 5,991 individuals, from 147,092 to 141,101 (-4.1%), while Dooplaya District remained relatively stable at 214,937 individuals (+184; +0.1%), despite ongoing security concerns and humanitarian needs.
More information at https://cidkp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/IDP-Population_October_-2026.pdf