Burma Coup Resistance Notes August 15, 2022
Ethnic regions-------------------
In Kawthoolei Dooplaya District (Kawkareik township on Burmese maps), Karen forces attacked the police station in Kaw T'Ree town (Kawkareik) this morning. A firefight lasted 15 minutes, after which junta troops blocked town streets. Kaw T'Ree township is controlled by Karen army Brigade 6, except for Kaw T'Ree town which is still in junta hands at this point. (Khit Thit Media, Kawkareik Open News) Urban areas have been mostly secure for the junta until now, but Karen forces are now coming after them in the main towns.
In Karenni State, the Karenni defense forces attacked a junta patrol in Hpruso township yesterday and killed 4 troops. They also captured some ammunition from the junta. There was also intense fighting yesterday in Demawso township. (People's Spring)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
After Chin defense forces stormed a junta camp on the Indian border at Rikodar on Aug. 10, about 40 junta troops yesterday took revenge on a civilian village west of Teetine. Troops entered and burned Hymwal village, forcing the residents to flee as refugees, then started burning the houses. Two residents who didn't escape were kidnapped by the troops. (Than Lwin Khet News)
In Kawthoolei Brigade 4 area (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), about 80 junta troops invaded Kalontah village of Ye Phyu township near Dawei yesterday, shooting their guns in all directions and forcing residents to flee into the jungle. A local PDF then came to the village also, but combat has not been reported. (Mizzima)
In Depayin township of Sagaing Region, residents were escaping Puttantaw village ahead of a junta onslaught yesterday, and three local PDF members and a villagers stayed behind to help elderly and infirm people escape. The troops arrived and shot them dead. (The Irrawaddy)
In Tamu on the Indian border, junta troops kidnapped a local merchant and demanded ransom from his family. When the family couldn't pay, the troops beat him to death. His body was released yesterday showing deep facial bruises. Another local man was beaten by troops who stole his motorcycle; he walked home but died from his injuries two days later. Another man who couldn't escape from his village was burned to death, and two instructors at an agricultural training school in Shwebo township were tortured to death after a PDF bomb hit a junta convoy on an area road. An elderly couple was killed by shrapnel from a junta mortar in a civilian area of Myaing town in Magway Region. All of this happened during the recent days. (Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, a PDF coalition attacked a junta checkpoint in Monywa this morning on the Mandalay road, firing at close range and killing 6 troops or more. The shoot-out lasted 45 minutes and the PDFs were unharmed. (Khit Thit Media)
Yesterday morning a PDF in Tantse township drone-bombed the home of a pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee leader where a number of junta troops were stationed. When the bomb exploded, the troops ran outside where they were gunned down by PDF members. Seven or more troops were killed and others wounded. (Khit Thit Media)
In Indaw township yesterday, a PDF drone-bombed a group of 10 junta troops who were guarding a camp at a Buddhist monastery in Kamphyu yesterday. Five were killed on the spot and 4 others wounded by the blast. (People's Spring)
There is an update on the aftermath of the Aug. 11-14 battle in Yinpawtai on the Kalay-Gangaw township border: It started when the junta landed troops in a helicopter on Aug. 11. After a Russian-supplied helicopter fired on the village for 30 minutes yesterday, 4 PDF fighters were missing. Since then two were found dead and the other two were rescued. At least 10 junta troops have been killed, but local sources say the junta piled some of its dead, perhaps as many as 30, into a motorcycle repair shop and burned them, so the number of junta casualties isn't known. Three more PDF soldiers were killed in battle yesterday. The burned bodies of at least 6 villagers were also found along with a teenage boy and girl who had been shot dead, and there are other bodies waiting to be identified. Ten other villagers were injured by helicopter gunfire, and 23 men were kidnapped as hostages. As the troops left Yinpawtai, some were blown up again by PDF landmines. Chin forces are also involved, as Yinpawtai is close to the Chin State border. The troops went on to burn Kanpoyin and Putothah villages. (Mizzima, People's Spring, The Irrawaddy)
In Magway Region, PDFs continue their daily attacks on a junta/Pyu Saw Htee village-destruction gang on Yelegyun island in the Irrawaddy River, Yesagyo township. The attacks are in their 3rd day. Casualties aren't known, but the PDFs' goal is to hamper the junta's terror attacks on villages. (People's Spring)
A marching column of 150 junta troops was attacked by 11 PDF bombs yesterday, killing 4 troops and wounding 2. (Myaelatt Athan)
In Mandalay Region Maddaya township a PDF blew 2 roadside bombs on a convoy of 4 junta vehicles yesterday, killing 4 troops including an officer. A local junta administrator and a Pyu Saw Htee member were assassinated yesterday in Nyaung Oo and Taungtha townships. (People's Spring)
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, junta troops attacked and trashed another public market yesterday near where a protest march took place the day before in North Dagon township. (Mizzima)
In Naypyitaw, junta troops raided a PDF camp in Yetashay yesterday, capturing 2 fighters and a large number of guns and some rocket-propelled grenades. The seizure was corroborated by the PDF itself. (Myaelatt Athan) The prisoners will likely be tortured to death according to standard junta practice.
Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)-------------------
During calendar 2022 to date, the junta has revoked the registrations of more than 3,000 private companies, out of a national total of about 60,000 companies. The normal rate of de-registration is 100-300 per year. Since the coup many companies have gone bankrupt and are no longer filing reports with the government, leading to de-registration. These bankruptcies are concentrated in the fields of construction, export trade, and tourism, which have been heavily impacted by the civil war and the junta's currency and banking control measures. On the other hand, new company registrations, while few in number, are mostly filed by individuals closely related to the junta (cronies), and these are mostly being set up to profit from regime expenditures. (People's Spring)
Burmese singer Saung U Hlaing finished a 20-concert tour in America yesterday with a show in the state of Maryland, which raised over $50,000. During the 20 concerts Saung U Hlaing raised $1.1 million for people in Burma affected by the civil war and for People's Defense Forces. He says that if he can get a passport he may continue in other countries. (Khit Thit Media) Burmese expatriates in Korea have also raised over $1 million for the National Unity Government.