Burma coup resistance notes December 18, 2022
Ethnic regions-------------------
The Kachin army stormed and destroyed the camp of a pro-junta militia in Tanai township 2 days ago Dec. 16, and also blew up a traveling party of that militia, killing 4 members and wounding 5 out of a total of 30, and capturing weapons. (Kachin News Group) Yesterday Kachin troops attacked a convoy of 100 junta troops twice near Shaduzup in Hpakant township; casualties aren’t specified. (People's Spring)
Jets bombed targets overnight in Kaw T’Ree township of Dooplaya District in Kawthoolei (Kawkareik township on Burmese maps). No damage reports are in, but the bombing is a response to the Dec. 16 Karen army assault on 2 junta positions in that area in which 9 troops including an officer are known to have died. Troops also fired mortars into civilian communities, damaging some homes and durian trees. (Khit Thit Media, Mizzima)
In Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), someone painted an unflattering caricature of dictator Min Aung Hlaing on a road near Dawei, with the caption “Already defeated.” The junta sent a truck full of troops to remove the image, and when they disembarked at the site, they were blown up by roadside bombs. The whole thing was a trap. Casualty figures aren’t known. (Mizzima)
Karenni defense forces report that during the first half of December 9 or more junta troops were killed at their camp in Hpruso town. Remaining troops fire mortars in various directions every day. (Khit Thit Media)
In Chin State, 4 more junta troops/police defected to the Chin defense forces with full weapons in Teetayn. They were given safe haven. (People's Spring)
The junta death toll in its failed attack on Ta’ang forces in Namsan township is now put at over 70, plus 24 captured, according to the Ta’ang ethnic army TNLA. The rest escaped with the aid of junta air strikes. Junta propaganda is now trying to save face by claiming that the whole battle was a misunderstanding, and that it only meant to attack PDFs, not the TNLA, and that junta troops killed PDF members and captured their weapons, but the TNLA, which is in control of the area, says those are just lies, and in reality the junta captured nothing. Some TNLA soldiers and officers were killed in the battle, but figures aren’t given. (The Irrawaddy, Mizzima)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
Junta/Pyu Saw Htee terrorists spent the past 3 days burning Hlesayt, Letkot Kone, and Baw villages of Kantbalu township. The home of a loyal junta veteran was one of the casualties; so extensive is the junta’s destruction that it affects the homes of the junta’s own soldiers, officers, and veterans. 81 civilians have been killed by the junta in Kantbalu township since the coup, among them many children. About 4,000 refugees from these villages are now homeless. (Khit Thit Media)
In Ye Oo township terrorist troops burned almost all 700 homes in Mithah village yesterday, including the recently-harvested paddy (rice) crop. A local PDF tried to defend the village for 45 minutes but was overwhelmed and had to retreat. One PDF soldier was killed and 2 are missing; junta casualties aren’t known. (Khit Thit Media)
In Magway Region, local PDFs fired grenades at junta terrorists invading Byiba village of Yesagyo township yesterday, killing 5 of them. Also, a landmine killed 2 other troops yesterday in Byiba. The troops did, in the end, burn and destroy Byiba village last night. (People's Spring, Myaelatt Athan)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Magway Region, a PDF overwhelmed a junta checkpoint at the entrance to Pakokku town today, killing 3 troops and wounding the 4th. The PDF then captured all their weapons, papers, money, and a pickup truck. (Myanmar Now)
In Sagaing Region, PDFs in Wetlet township needed metal tubing for their artillery manufacturing, so 2 days ago Dec. 16 they toppled a junta-owned Mytel communications tower, located near a junta camp close to Shimmakah village. At first the PDF couldn’t retrieve the pipes due to enemy mortar fire, so they came back the next day. (Khit Thit Media)
Urban warfare------------------
An update on the Dec. 16 rocket attack on junta air force headquarters at Mingaladon airport says that officers’ quarters were hit, and that 5 explosions were heard inside the air base, with ambulances arriving soon after. (Mizzima) Since aircraft are much easier to destroy on the ground than in the air, Revolutionary forces have been targeting the air force weak points such as fuel supply and off-duty pilots. It isn’t known if pilots were among the casualties of this attack; some pilots active in junta air strikes on civilians are Russians, since Russia supplies the jets.
Political and economic-------------------
A secret Nov. 8 internal junta memo has come to light, ordering all departments to eliminate ‘watermelons’ – spies for the Revolution within the military, i.e. green on the outside, red on the inside. The junta is frustrated by the number of information leaks to the press and tip-offs to resistance forces that lead to ambushes of junta troops. Practically, such an order would lead to an internal purge, or the killing of junta personnel by other junta personnel. Some accused victims may have nothing to do with leaks. (Khit Thit Media) Of course, this memo was leaked by a watermelon.
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