Junta-aligned militia holds graduation ceremony inside Nant Mun Baptist Church, Kachin State

On 23 September 2026, the Shanni Nationalities Army, a militia operating under the Myanmar military's Northern Regional Command, held a military graduation ceremony inside the worship sanctuary of Nant Mun Baptist Church in Nanmun Town, Mohnyin Township, Kachin State. More than 400 militia members took part, and local reports said they drank alcohol and danced in the sanctuary. The ceremony was overseen by Major General Aung Zaw Htway. Most Kachin residents of the area have been displaced by fighting since early 2024. Kachin Baptist leaders called it desecration.

Armed group's occupation and desecration of a sanctuary, mapped to incidentType vandalism. CSW's press release is dated 8 October 2026. Coordinates are the Nominatim pin for Mohnyin town, labeled approximate (Nanmun did not resolve). Myanmar (MMR) is a new country on the desk. Also reported by the Burma Research Institute and Baptist Standard.