Burma coup resistance notes January 8, 2023
Battle fronts open, or re-open, in Kachin State and Kawthoolei; People's Defense Forces continue to ambush junta & Pyu Saw Htee terrorists, who are still burning villages.
During the junta’s self-celebration pageant and parade on Jan. 4, a paratrooper fell to her death when a cord broke during an air display. The junta banned the news from circulating, but like everything, it was leaked. (Khit Thit Media)
Ethnic regions-------------------
The Kachin army intercepted a junta column near Sumprabum yesterday with roadside bombs followed up with gunfire. The battle lasted 1 hour, and the Kachin say there were many junta casualties, but no numbers are given. (People's Spring)
Junta aircraft are again bombing Kachin army positions on Longja mountain in Kachin State, just east of Momauk town. The junta tried to bomb and invade Longja mountain last November, but lost 80 troops and failed to capture it despite intense air bombing. (People's Spring)
A 3-hour battle occurred today in Kler Lwi Htoo District of Kawthoolei (Kyaukgyi township on Burmese maps), when Karen army forces intercepted a junta convoy. Seven junta troops were killed by Karen forces, who were unharmed. (Than Lwin Khet News) Yesterday a Russian-supplied helicopter gunship fired on the area after junta troops who went out to clear roadside bombs for today’s convoy got killed by one of them. (Kawhtoolei government-KNU)
Two jets dropped 4 bombs yesterday on Dae Bu Noh town in Mutraw District of Kawthoolei (Hpapun township on Burmese maps). Each of these air sorties costs over US$200,000 per aircraft, so yesterday’s airstrike in Dae Bu Noh cost the junta nearly half a million US dollars. The airstrikes injured 1 civilian and damaged 1 wooden building and 1 vehicle. (People's Spring, Dr Miemie Win Byrd – USA Army retired)
After Karen army Brigade 5 published its combat statistics for calendar 2022 yesterday, the Karenni defense forces did likewise today: The Karenni fought 341 clashes against junta troops in 2022, killing 797 troops and wounding 93. Sixty-five Karenni soldiers died. The junta conducted 150+ airstrikes, and killed 13 civilians and injured 64 more. Since the Feb. 2021 coup, the cumulative totals are 1,692 junta invaders killed fighting the Karenni, and 211 defenders killed. (The Irrawaddy)
Junta troops burned down the ethnic Chin village of Sekan in Kalay township, Sagaing Region yesterday. They had been invading the village by day since Jan. 5, then retreating to the safety of their urban camp in Kalay town each evening. Residents fled to neighboring villages and Kalay town, then returned this morning to a landscape of ashes and metal roofing sheets still too hot to touch. (Mizzima)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
The number of internal refugees since the coup has now reached nearly 1.6 million, according to UN sources. The majority are in central Burma’s Sagaing and Magway Regions, as a result of the regime’s scorched earth village terrorism campaign. These refugees need vast quantities of food, water, medications, and winter wear just to stay alive, not to mention other needs such as schooling, sanitation, etc. (Khit Thit Media) Unfortunately the junta does everything in its power to cut off supplies to the refugees, and large international donors are afraid to send aid through the National Unity Government and local resistance groups who operate where the refugees are sheltering.
Last night junta troops came to Mojopyin village in Salingyi township, Sagaing Region and camped overnight. The residents fled into the bush. This morning the troops looted the homes and then torched them. Yesterday troops burned Sappya Jin and Bot villages in Depayin township. (Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
A combined force of 300 junta troops and their ethnic Shanni lackeys tried to retake a road checkpoint at Natnan on the Homalin-Paungpyin road in northern Sagaing Region. The Kachin army and allied PDFs captured the gate last November, and on Jan. 5 the junta tried to get it back. The PDFs got advance word of the attack and withdrew to within gunshot range, then a PDF sniper picked off the junta commander, throwing the whole attack party into chaos, and the attackers fled. Ten junta troops were killed, and the PDF retained control of the road. (People's Spring)
A PDF in Myinmu township blew up a junta truck carrying 30 troops from Sagaing toward Monywa this morning. After the explosion only 10 troops were ambulatory, the rest were killed or wounded. (Khit Thit Media)
It turns out that the monk shot to death in a junta/Pyu Saw Htee terrorist attack on Depayinkwe village of Sagaing township yesterday was a raving junta supporter. The monk known as Ashin Gadarthara was shot in the neck when the terrorists discovered him hiding in the monastery basement; they also killed a female companion. (The Irrawaddy) There is a minority faction within Burma’s Buddhist clergy that espouses an extreme nationalist, racist agenda favorable to the illegal military regime.
Two PDFs in Shwebo township of Sagaing Region intercepted junta troops emerging from Ywathah village yesterday, killing 2 of them. (People's Spring)
As junta terrorists were beginning to burn Ohnpinsu village in Kalewa township, Sagaing Region yesterday, local PDFs came to the village’s defense, killing 3 attackers, but 1 PDF police officer was also killed. (Khit Thit Media)
PDFs fired on a police barracks twice in one day in Kandaung, Palay township, Sagaing Region yesterday. Fifty troops are stationed there, but casualties aren’t known. (Myaelatt Athan)
In Kawlin township of Sagaing Region, two women were apparently transporting a bomb by motorcycle when they were ordered to stop by troops at a junta checkpoint. They tried to get away but were shot, and their bomb went off. They were killed, but it’s not clear whether they died by gunfire or sacrificed themselves to protect their colleagues by not getting caught, tortured, and interrogated. (Myaelatt Athan)
A PDF assassinated a Pyu Saw Htee terrorist leader yesterday in Jaukdankah, Bago Region. Then when junta police arrived to investigate, they were blown up by roadside bombs planted for that purpose. Three police were seriously wounded. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
Urban warfare------------------
An urban PDF fired 3 large grenades into the junta air force base in Mingaladon township yesterday, on the western side near Insein township. Damage isn’t known. (People's Spring)
In Yangon Region, a PDF stormed and burned a junta police barracks this morning in Thongwa township. The PDF killed 3 police and captured 2 weapons. (People's Spring)
Life under the police state: The junta just issued an order to all big city residents, that they are required to have a fire escape and sand and water bags to fight fires. Troops regularly forcefully invade homes in search of unauthorized persons, and will now inspect for these as well; people caught without them can be ordered to pay big fines or, as with anything these days, thrown in prison. This comes after several high-profile accidental fires. Under the regime, firefighters have been converted to militia to back-fill the dwindling army. Of course, the regime doesn’t provide households with any resources to acquire these materials, it just issues an order and then punishment; in practice the order will likely just serve as a pretext for additional extortion. Local prices in cities for bamboo rods to build ladders have multiplied as people scramble to make fire escapes. (Khit Thit Media)
Political and economic-------------------
In Irrawaddy Region the junta is directing collaborationist government staff to leave their duties and go out campaigning for the regime’s proxy political party, the USDP. They are giving speeches saying only the junta can protect Myanmar and Buddhism, in preparation for the fake elections planned for August. Meanwhile local junta-imposed administrators have been collecting census data for voter rolls. (Ayeyarwaddy Times) Irrawaddy Region has been one of the weakest areas for the Revolution, and the junta is apparently judging that this is one region where it can successfully stage the fake election.
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ