Burma coup resistance notes February 21, 2023
PDFs, Chin, Ta'ang, Karen clobber junta; air strikes merely delay junta defeat; illegal regime targets civilians.
Welcome back to Burma coup resistance notes. Instead of a daily digest, BCRN will now publish roughly once a week, and will be a summary of the most significant events that shape the eventual outcome of the Revolution. It will not attempt to cover as many actions as before, as that requires a huge time commitment and BCRN has limited human resources.
PDFs clobber the junta in middle Burma: Several People’s Defense Forces inflicted heavy casualties on junta troops this past week. In Bago Region, PDFs in Yetashay killed about 25 troops including officers, and captured weapons, in a Feb. 16 ambush. PDFs in Kyauktu township of Magway Region killed a similar number in 3 ambushes Feb. 16-18; one convoy was hit a second time as it tried to evacuate its wounded. Two PDF attacks in Sagaing Region’s Kantbalu township killed about 25, including 2 officers, in landmine attacks, which is significant because Kantbalu has been a major target of the junta’s terrorist Pyu Saw Htee militia that burns villages. In Thayet township in Magway Region, a PDF laid a trap for junta troops, initially firing grenades into a police barracks, then blowing up the reinforcements they knew would come, killing 8 and wounding at least 3. Another PDF attack in Saitphyu township killed about 20 junta troops. PDFs captured a junta camp on the Yinmapin-Salingyi township border in Sagaing Region on Feb. 19, capturing a number of weapons. In addition, numerous other attacks killed troops four to six at a time in different locations. In many instances rifles, machine guns, grenades, and ammunition have been captured by Revolutionary forces.
Chin defense forces capture Htantalan town, expelling junta troops: The town was destroyed and empty of civilians, but the Chin managed to overrun the police barracks there and take the town, capturing 42 weapons and ammunition, Feb. 9. The junta has responded by dropping over 30 bombs from jets, to no effect. The Chin have all the roads cut off, so the junta cannot send reinforcements or supplies. Chin State is completely liberated except for the larger towns, and now those are starting to fall.
Junta targets ethnic armies with air strikes: Jets continue to drop 500, 800, and 1000 pound bombs around the country, specifically targeting the ethnic armies such as the Karen and Kachin, which the junta blames for supporting the PDFs. The bombing succeeds in terrorizing civilians and forcing them to sleep in the jungle for safety. When ethnic armies drive junta troops out of positions, air strikes also force them to withdraw again, allowing junta troops to re-occupy the positions. In this way aerial bombing can never win the war for the junta, but it does postpone defeat for a while.
Junta arms loyal civilians: So desperate is the junta’s manpower shortage that it is passing out guns to fascist sympathizers with no military experience. The continued attrition of the former Burma army through death, injury, and desertion means that its days are numbered. Guns passed out to civilians can be captured or stolen by Revolutionary forces.
Kachin army repulses junta invasion of Kutkai township in northern Shan State: the Kachin say they inflicted “heavy losses” on a junta column invading from Muse Feb. 13-15, without giving numbers.
Ta’ang also repulse an invasion in northern Shan: 15 junta troops killed and 5 wounded, and weapons captured by the Ta’ang, Feb. 20 in Kyaukme township. The small Ta’ang army has repeatedly savaged junta invasions of its territory.
The Kawthoolei government (KNU) published combat statistics for the month of January: 337 junta troops killed and 280 wounded throughout Kawthoolei, with 24 Karen and allied PDF soldiers killed and 75 wounded defending their country. Also, Karen army Brigade 5 in Mutraw District killed 28 junta troops and wounded 11 during the first half of February in numerous clashes.
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign: Losing battles against PDFs and ethnic armies, the terrorist forces have not stopped their attacks on civilian soft targets in central Burma. Junta troops continue to invade and burn farm villages, looting homes as they go, and shooting or burning alive people who fail to escape in time.
Protests ramp up: Far from getting tired, pro-democracy protesters are out in the streets and villages more than ever, showing support for the Revolution and refusal to ever submit to the illegal military regime. With more and more territory liberated from junta control, protesters have more scope to exercise their freedom of speech.
Sources: The Irrawaddy, Khit Thit Media, Mizzima, Myaelatt Athan, Pople’s Spring, Tanintharyi Times, etc.
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ
Thank you so much for providing these updates! You are doing a great service for the future of Burma!