KYAUKME, Myanmar — Ten days after its recapture by Myanmar’s military government, the town of Kyaukme remains a ghostly shadow of its former self. Schools have reopened, but the once-bustling market is eerily empty, with vendors hastily closing their stalls at the sight of visiting journalists. The Associated Press, granted rare access to the war-torn area under military supervision, documented the devastation on Friday. The town, located in Shan State, is now a scene of charred wreckage, with official buildings such as the courthouse, police station, and government housing reduced to ruins. The hospital’s operations have been temporarily relocated to a nearby Chinese temple, and at least one fire engine lies burnt out. While civilian houses appear mostly unscathed, the majority of the town’s 46,000 residents have fled, leaving Kyaukme a desolate shell. The ethnic militia previously in control accused the military of causing the destruction through air strikes and heavy weapons, while government soldiers claim the militia destroyed structures during their retreat. Kyaukme’s strategic location on a highway connecting central Myanmar to China has made it a focal point in the ongoing civil war, which erupted after the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021. The town has changed hands twice since then, most recently falling back to the military on October 1 after a three-week battle. Army checkpoints now dot the road from Nawnghkio, a recently recaptured town, to Kyaukme, with unexploded ordnance and land mines posing ongoing threats. Locals who remain, unable to afford relocation, describe a town on the front lines of conflict, with residents unwilling to return until nearby areas are secured.