Burma coup resistance notes July 29, 2022
Ethnic regions-------------------
In Kawthoolei Dooplaya District (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps), the junta continues to attempt to push southward along the Myawaddy-Waw Lay road where Karen forces have captured several junta camps. Yesterday they made another assault at the so-called Three-story Bend, but were repulsed by the Karen Cobra Column with the loss of about 20 troops, according to the Cobra commander. (Salween Press)
In Kawthoolei Kler Lwi Htoo District (Kyaukgyi township on Burmese maps), junta troops attacked a temporary refugee camp this morning. It is an army that attacks people in their communities and then attacks them again after they flee. (Karen Information Center)
In Kawthoolei Brigade 4 area (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), a junta administrator in Myeik was shot 3 times yesterday, but 2 shots hit his bullet-proof vest, the 3rd in his waist; he is hospitalized. (People's Spring) Junta administrators apparently know they need bullet protection.
In Karenni State, some junta invasion troops were patrolling near the Demawso town police station yesterday when Karenni defense forces shot 2 of them dead. (People's Spring) Also, a junta navy officer made his way from Yangon to Bawlahke, Karenni State and defected to the Karenni defense forces there. He came without weapons. (Than Lwin Khet News)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
A junta village-destruction gang attacked Japitkan and Taung Myint villages in Pauk township of Magway Region yesterday, burning 59 homes, killing a 4-year-old girl, and injuring other civilians. Then a local PDF counter-attacked with its locally-made mortars, stopping the terrorists who then called for airstrikes to protect them from the PDF. Local residents congratulated the PDF and pledged to support their needs for ammunition and materials to fight the junta. (People's Spring)
Today those airstrikes continued with 2 attack jets, and Taung Myint was burned again.
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, a bomb attack yesterday in Kawlin township killed 7 junta troops. The night before, the Kachin army shot and arrested 2 junta soldiers who were drinking at a karaoke bar in Indaw township; one died. The local PDF in Tantse township fired on a junta patrol, a junta gang invading a village, and a junta police station 2 days ago July 27; about 15 troops and police were killed. (Khit Thit Media)
In Magway Region, the PDF attack on junta troops at Bonkan village of Pakokku township ended up killing 5 of them; others were wounded but the number isn't known. (Than Lwin Khet News)
In Bago Region, another local junta administrator was assassinated today when he came to collect his salary. He was responsible for the kidnapping of a number of local citizens by junta troops. (Myaelatt Athan)
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, junta troops showed up in Hlaing township yesterday after a youth protest calling for the “uprooting of the fascist army”; the protesters were gone, so the troops took vengeance on local market vendors. They smashed merchandise and vending stalls, ordered vendors to kneel and then beat them, and stole large amounts of food and other merchandise. This follows a similar retaliatory trashing of a market after a street protest in Hledan township in June. (Khit Thit Media)
Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)-------------------
The National Unity Government is officially requesting international military assistance to defeat the junta, using the same logic as for Ukraine. Interim NUG President Duwa Lashila made this appeal in a speech yesterday, following the murder by hanging of the 4 pro-democracy martyrs last Saturday that was so egregious that even Russian and Chinese representatives on the UN Security Council voted to condemn the act. (Multiple media sources)
In Kalay town of Sagaing Region, junta troops kidnapped a humanitarian worker who raises funds to feed the thousands of local refugees. Through him, they identified about 70 collaborators and supporters and abducted them as well. (Mizzima) Interrogators use torture and also look into a person's phone for contacts and communication records. Many resistance members are naive about intelligence, not taking care to hide contacts and communications, nor using nicknames, code words, or limiting what one knows about colleagues in order to protect them in case of interrogation.
A new article about the well-known theft and side-selling of jet fuel by junta air force personnel suggests that the lucrative smuggling business is a major factor in why more air force officers have not defected to the people's side. (Khit Thit Media)