On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar Armed Forces staged a coup d'état and deposed the democratically elected government led by the National League for Democracy.

[4] On 23 February, a special task force composed of soldiers from the 99th Light Infantry Division was deployed via helicopter into Ayadaw Township, which is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Tadaing, and launched a series of village raids.

[5] During the military offensive, army troops accompanied by Russian-made Mi-35 helicopters, torched and raided entire villages as they advanced toward the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Mu Rivers.

[2] The following morning, troops took the hostages as human shields, as they marched to the village of Nyaungyin, which is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Tadaing.

[2][5] The corpse of 'Michael' Kyaw Zaw, the only local resistance fighter among the victims, was heavily mutilated, as troops had decapitated and dismembered him, and left him with his internal organs displayed atop of his body.

[3] The attack was carried out by Myanmar Army troops from the 99th Light Infantry Division (LID) under the command of Than Htike, who ultimately reports to Min Aung Hlaing, who also heads the military junta, the State Administration Council.

[3] At the time of their deaths, the 17 known victims ranged from the ages of 17 to 67:[11] On 4 March, villagers discovered fourteen bodies on a small river sandbank and a mango plantation near Nyaungyin.

[1] Between 23 February and 5 March, army troops in the areas surrounding Tadaing killed a total of 99 villagers, beheaded 20 resistance fighters, and raped at least 3 women.

[14][13] On 5 March, troops detained Sayadaw Aggavaṃsa, a Mandalay-based monk who had departed to Sagaing, in order to help internally displaced persons.