Burma coup resistance notes December 30, 2023
Ta’ang liberate another town; Laukkai mostly in Kokang hands; Karen forces capture 4 camps and a town; Arakan Army captures 3 positions.
Airstrikes continue to kill and maim civilians, and now the junta is bringing in Chinese drones for more strikes. It bombs towns it no longer controls. Clearly the Naypyitaw regime aims to kill as many people as it can before it is driven from power.
Northern Shan-------------------
The Kokang army (MNDAA) now controls all of Laukkai city except for the regional command HQ, and the junta is bombing the city heavily with jets, destroying what it cannot control. Police barracks and all other army camps have surrendered. Laukkai near the China border is the capital of the Kokang homeland. The junta airlifted troops from its 55th Division in Kalaw in southwestern Shan State to Laukkai to try to prevent the fall of that city on Dec. 24. Immediately almost 100 of them surrendered and the Kokang took control of their weapons and their camp at Konyindaung. (Khit Thit Media 12/25, 12/27) The transfer of troops from the 55th leaves southwestern Shan weakened and more vulnerable, and it is adjacent to the military capital at Naypyitaw.
Video showing the results of junta jet bombing in Laukkai city in Kokang region, which the junta has lost control of almost completely. (Chindwin News Agency 12/27)
A video shows the Kokang army capturing more than 20 junta troops alive on Dec. 24, many of them with battle wounds. The location isn’t disclosed. (Chindwin News Agency 12/24) The next day junta mortar fire directed at civilians killed 8 and injured 25 in Laukkai city. (The Kokang 12/26)
The Ta’ang ethnic army liberated Nammatu town on Dec. 28, clearing the last junta troops out of the whole of the township. Some fled the night before. The assault began on Dec. 20. The regime reportedly bombed using its new Russian SU-30 jets, but in vain. (Myanmar Now 12/28)
The trade zone at 105 Mile near Muse is the control point for 90% of the cross-border trade with China, and it has been dominated by the Brotherhood Alliance since Dec. 15. Muse city itself, where the crossing gate is located, has been contested, with the crossing gate under Ta’ang army control but the junta flying in reinforcements by helicopter. (Myanmar Now 12/23, People's Spring 12/29)
A sustained attack by the Brotherhood Alliance has encircled the town of Kyaukme and caused the junta command center there to scatter in disarray. Now the regional capital Lashio is under threat. The junta had been trying to send reinforcements into northern Shan State through Kyaukme, but they could not advance, and now Kyaukme is in imminent danger of capture. (Khit Thit Media 12/25)
The Ta’ang are also attacking in Kutkai.
The new Ta’ang administration in liberated Manton Township of northern Shan State has officially changed its name from this Burmanized version back to its original Ta’ang name of Rukaw. Rukaw is in the heart of the ethnic Ta’ang (or Palaung) homeland. (People's Spring 12/23)
Karenni-------------------
In the ongoing battle of Loikaw, the prison remains a focal point. Karenni defense forces report that in their Dec. 16 assault on the prison, about half of the 80 junta defenders were killed, as were some Karenni soldiers, and the assault had to be called off. There are 500 prisoners, of whom 140 are innocent political detainees. Now the remaining junta troops are firing mortars into surrounding civilian neighborhoods, which are abandoned. Homes and market areas have been burned. (Khit Thit Media 12/24) Since the junta can’t control the city it is destroying it.
Karenni defense forces captured 2 junta hilltop camps near Phekon town on Dec. 29, and have the entry points to the town sealed as they close in on junta troops still in the town. Troops in the two camps were captured along with their weapons, but figures are not reported. (People's Spring 12/29) Controlling Pekhon cuts off any reiforcements or supplies the junta would send to Karenniland.
Arakan-----------------
After an intense battle in Myauk Oo Township of Arakan State, the Arakan Army seized the city’s police barracks and junta camp at Thutaw Mataung. (People's Spring 12/24, Myanmar Now 12/27) Two days later the AA overpowered 2 junta camps in Paletwa Township near the India and Bangladesh borders after a days-long siege, seizing many weapons. Junta troops died, surrendered, or fled, and the AA is pursuing those who ran. (Myanmar Now 12/30) The AA is also fighting intensely in Pauktaw town.
Kawthoolei------------------
The Karen army seized 4 camps in Moo Township of Kler Lwi Htoo District on Dec. 26, resulting in the deaths of 20 junta troops and 19 weapons captured. (KNU 12/27) Then they went on to occupy Natthankwin town on the Sittaung River, halfway between the old Yangon-Naypitaw highway and Ler Doh, capital of the district. (Khit Thit Media 12/26) Another 100 junta troops came to try to relieve the ones losing control of Natthankwin, but they were intercepted along the way and 20 more were killed. Five Karen soldiers also died. (The Irrawaddy B 12/28)
A PDF battalion operating in Taw Oo District attacked junta troops in Yetashei Township on Dec. 25, killing 15 of them out of a total of 115. The junta troops were invading a village when they were ambushed, and the battle lasted for 2 hours. The troops then beat a retreat, but returned with reinforcements. (Khit Thit Media 12/28) The junta wants to protect Yetashei which is on a road leading to its capital Naypyitaw.
Karen army, ABDSF, and PDF joint forces also attacked the junta airbase at Taungoo on Dec. 26. (People's Spring 12/27) The junta formerly used this airbase to launch airstrikes, but because it has become vulnerable it switched to using airbases in Naypyitaw and Dandah Oo.
The battle of Kaw T’Ree town that began on Dec. 1 is ongoing, with Karen forces inside and surrounding the city, including the nearby town of Kruh Tuh (Kyondoe), and working to reduce the remaining junta positions. They captured the police barracks in Latakaw (Taungja In) west of Kat T’Ree town on Dec. 29 along with 10 junta police and 25 weapons. (Salween Press 12/30) Junta mortar fire and jet bombing have destroyed many homes and killed and injured people. Some had to be buried in their yards because it was too dangerous to go to the cemetery. (Karen Information Center 12/28)
In Beit-Tavoy District Karen PDFs attacked junta forces in Tenasserim Township on Dec. 25, killing 12 troops and wounding at least 4 during a half-hour battle. Two days later the PDFs used roadside bombs to blow up a junta convoy there, followed up with gunfire. Seven or more troops were killed. (People's Spring 12/29)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
PDFs seized 2 junta camps in Homalin Township of northern Sagaing Region on Dec. 19, reported on Dec. 23. (People's Spring 12/23) The Kachin and Chin ethnic armies along with local PDFs have been taking over growing areas of northern Sagaing.
In Ayadaw Township in southern Sagaing Region PDFs surrounded and starved out a junta camp of about 30 troops at Naungji. On Dec. 20 the Federal Wings drone battalion began bombing the camp, killing 18 troops, and the rest ran away, grabbing 10 civilians that they forced to march in front of them as human shields. The PDFs had to let them go. One of the hostages was killed. On Dec. 23 the PDFs destroyed the camp. (Mandalay Free Press 12/23)
PDFs in Sagaing Township raided a junta camp on Dec. 24. All the troops ran away to another camp, and the PDFs destroyed this one. (Khit Thit Media 12/27)
PDFs raided a pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee terrorist camp in Shwebo Township on Dec. 24, killing 3 and arresting more than 60 people living there. The Pyu Saw Htees from this camp had attacked nearby villages and fought PDFs. (People's Spring 12/25) PDFs fired rockets and drone bombs into 5 Pyu Saw Htee camps in Shwebo Township in the following days, causing some fatalities but the numbers arent’ known. (Khit Thit Media 12/28)
On Dec. 26 three junta vehicles were attempting to patrol in Chauk Township of Magway Region when they were blown up by PDF bombs. Fifteen troops were killed, according to the PDFs. (Khit Thit Media 12/27)
PDF drone teams carried out 4 days of bombing of junta targets in the convergence area of Sagaing, Magway, and Mandalay Regions Dec. 23-26, killing 19 junta troops, wounding 20, and causing a lot of damage with 58 bombs. (Khit Thit Media 12/27)
In Mandalay Region’s Thabeikjin Township PDFs confronted a junta column on Dec. 25, killing an unknown number of troops and capturing weapons including rifles, a grenade launcher, and many hand- and shoulder-launched grenades, as well as rifle ammunition. (Mandalay Free Press 12/26)
PDFs fired on 50 junta troops occupying a Buddhist monastery in Yenanchaung Township, Magway Region on Dec. 27, killing 17 of them and wounding others. (Myaelatt Athan 12/29)
The Federal Wings drone warfare battalion has also developed and tested a bullet-proof helmet that it says absorbs M16 and AK47 bullets, as shown in a video. It says its model can be produced locally for half the cost of commercially available helmets. (Federal Wings 12/29) Technological innovation during the Spring Revolution has advanced rapidly, and bodes well for the peacetime economy after the war.
Urban warfare------------------
A powerful bomb exploded in front of the infamous Insein Prison in northern Yangon on Dec. 27, damaging some cars. The location is heavily militarized. In Mandalay a junta admin office was bombed in Maha Aung Myay Township on Dec. 27. (Khit Thit Media 12/27) Another urban guerrilla group bombed a junta admin office in Myangone Township of Yangon on Dec. 28. (People's Spring 12/28) A deputy junta police superintendent was assassinated in Mandalay on Dec. 29. (Khit Thit Media 12/30)
PDFs attacked 8 junta troops who were extorting citizens in Monywa city, capital of Sagaing Region, on Dec. 24, killing 2 of them and wounding others. When reinforcements came to pick up the dead and wounded, 5 more were killed and the PDFs captured some of their weapons. (Mizzima 12/25)
Junta decline------------------
As mentioned above, the junta moved almost 100 troops from near its captital Naypyitaw to northern Shan State, where they promptly surrendered. Many of the troops are just looking for a way out of the failing war effort, and the junta is becoming more exposed.
The regime has been withholding the news of soldiers’ deaths from their families and pocketing their salaries. Families have been hearing the news from PDFs and ethnic armies, who use the phones found on dead junta troops to call their families and inform them. (Shwe Phee Myay News 12/25)
In its financial desperation the regime has robbed another prominent religious institution. After stealing US$8 million from Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda in early December, the regime pillaged $170,000 from the Shwe Muthaw Pagoda in Pathein, Irrawaddy Region more recently. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 12/25)
The expense and dwindling fuel supply of the air terror campaign is leading the junta to invest in Chinese-made unmanned drones to partially replace jets for bombing civilian targets. The drones have already been used to attack refugee camps and in aerial surveillance. (Than Lwin Times 12/29)
Terrorism--------------------
A new report by the Karen Human Rights Group documents the junta deliberately targeting and killing civilians, considering children as future rebels to be killed pre-emtively. (“Striking Fear”, KHRG 12/27)
Troops abducted 7 refugees in Nattalin Township of Mandalay Region on Dec. 25 and later burned them to death. (Myanmar Now 12/28)
In an act consistent with the junta’s deliberate famine-creation tactic, troops burned several acres of rice paddy fields belonging to farmers in Rathidaung Township, Arakan State, that were ready to harvest, on Dec. 22.
Other troops went on a rampage of kidnapping, looting, arson, and killing in Chaung Oo Township of Sagaing Region starting Dec. 10. They abducted 200 civilians to use as slave porters and human shields, making them walk ahead in case of landmines. One man had his leg blown off. A village leader was shot dead. Troops robbed civilians, burned most of 3 villages and killed off the livestock. The abductees were forced to carry food and ammunition supplies for the troops. (Myanmar Now B 12/23)
The junta bombed Myauk Oo town indiscriminately, destroying ancient stone columns and a historic museum with centuries-old artefacts inside. (The Irrawaddy E 12/25)
In Yangon’s Dagon Seikkan Township a junta-appointed administrator ordered families evicted from their homes, then fenced off the land and is selling it. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 12/26)
Political and economic-------------------
A spokesman for the Ta’ang ethnic army said the Brotherhood Alliance had informed China of the planned Operation 10/27 before launching it, and that the Chinese had agreed to it. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 12/24) That casts China’s role in the Myanmar conflict in a new light. If true, it confirms the suspicions of many, including the illegal Naypyitaw junta, that China is once again playing both sides in Burma’s internal conflicts.
Meanwhile, the second round of Beijing-brokered talks between the Brotherhood Alliance and the Naypyitaw cabal was just as successful as the first round. No agreement was reached and the fighting continued through the Dec. 22-24 meeting in Kunming. China’s priority had been reopening cross-border trade routes. (Mizzima 12/26) After the first talks, China announced a temporary ceasefire that never actually happened.
The National Unity Government’s Spring Bank will open its first brick and mortar branch in Kawlin, Sagaing Region, providing full banking services. (Khit Thit Media 12/26) The Spring Bank had previously been on-line only, offering an alternative to junta-controlled banks where money was not secure and clients’ personal and transaction data was exposed to the terrorist regime. Kawlin is a liberated town run by civilian authorities.
Likewise, the NUG is providing other civilian services such as marriage contract authorization and document notarization at its consular offices in Thailand. (The Irrawaddy B 12/26)
Since the fuel shortage began, some fuel stations have stayed closed despite having inventory, preferring to sell it off-site on the black market for higher prices. The junta has cracked down on a few of them. (Mizzima E 12/23) The junta’s disastrous import-export and currency exchange restrictions have brought much of Myanmar’s international trade to a standstill, causing shortages of food, medicines, fuel, and other essential products. The black market has thrived, however. In response to the drug shortage the junta advocates traditional medicines to treat Covid.
Pro-junta Catholic cardinal Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon, celebrated Christmas mass with deputy dictator Gen. Soe Win. The dictator himself, Min Aung Hlaing, was fêted by senior Catholic clergy at a church in Naypyitaw. Charles Bo has a post-coup tradition of celebrating holidays and photo-ops with the top terrorist generals. (The Irrawaddy E, Khit Thit Media 12/25)
A delegation of senior Thai police officials made a pilgrimage to Naypyitaw on Dec. 27 for a photo-op with Burma’s dictator and some discussions about controlling international crime along the border. (Mizzima E 12/29) The Naypyitaw regime has been reaping financial dividends from border crime enclaves for years, so discussions about controlling that crime are pure theater. Thailand’s military-backed regime has been a reliable supporter of the attempted coup in Burma.
Happy calendar New Year,
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ