The army in Myanmar has destroyed a Catholic church, as forces continue to exercise their power over the country following a military coup almost two years ago.

In February 2021, a coup d’etat saw the army overthrow the recently democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 

According to the Vatican's Fides news agency, forces have burned a Catholic church in the Diocese of Mandalay.

Church of the Assumption sits within Chan Thar, an area with a large Catholic population.

The attack took place on the 15th of January, and saw almost all of the village entirely destroyed, including the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, a nearby convent. 

Around 3,000 people were forced to flee, including the sisters, with almost 500 homes believed to have been destroyed. 

No human casualties have been reported. 

The military takeover has seen Christians face increasingly violent persecution, but the reign of the force does not seem to be easing. 

Earlier this month, former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was given an additional prison sentence of seven years after being found guilty of five counts of corruption by a military court.

According to human rights groups, the charges are widely considered to be false.