In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged residence is seen in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
KYAUKME, Myanmar (AP) — Kyaukme, a once-thriving town in Myanmar’s Shan State, is in shambles, targeted by both sides in the Southeast Asian country’s bitter civil war because of its strategic location at a key junction on the trading route to China.
The army allowed an Associated Press photographer to join a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, the only representative of foreign media who was permitted to do so. The military doesn’t allow a free press and bars journalists from entering conflict zones independently.
The town has changed hands twice since the army seized power in 2021.
An ethnic minority guerrilla group captured the town in August last year, but it fell back into the hands of the military government on Oct. 1. The recapture of the town is a major victory for the government, coming after the resistance was widely believed to have won control of most of the country.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, an exploded ordnance lies on the ground in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, soldiers patrol a road in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a soldier patrols near the entrance to Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, locals ride a motorbike in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged fire engine is seen in the Fire Service Department building in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, soldiers stop a motorcyclist at a check point in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged residence is seen in Kawnghkio township, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a policeman walks inside a police station in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, uniforms of Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) are seen inside a police station in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, locals ride motorbikes in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged fire engine is seen at the Fire Service Department building in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, soldiers stand guard at a check point in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged office of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is seen in Kawnghkio township, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, the Goteik bridge is seen in Kawnghkio township, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged court is seen in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
This photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, shows a view of Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, is seen Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a damaged government residence is seen in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, an Immigration officer notes personal data of locals for lost and damaged national registration cards, at their temporary office, in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, uniforms of Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) are seen inside a police station in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, locals ride motorbikes past a street in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct.10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In this photo taken during a trip supervised by pro-military Myanmar media, a soldier keeps guard at a check point in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
