Burma coup resistance notes June 9, 2023
Over 250 junta troops killed in Karen, Chin, Karenni, Kokang, Sagaing; the regime bans cyclone aid organizations after accepting international donations; junta weapons factories hit by missile attacks
International observers sometimes call Burma’s civil war a “stalemate,” because the end doesn’t appear imminent, and neither side has the means at the moment to achieve a decisive victory. Calling it a stalemate, however, ignores the fact that most wars that do end with a decisive victory take several years to do so, during which time they can seem endless. “Stalemate” is a term used by the impatient and the unimaginative. For a clearer picture, it’s necessary to consider the junta militia’s shrinkage and increasing use of unprofessional, even unwilling troops, while the the ethnic and PDF forces steadily and systematically build their capacity, increase their territorial control, and take over governance. This week’s news provides yet more evidence of the junta’s failure as an army, as it continues to throw battalions against hardcore resistance strongholds in Karenni, Sagaing, Kokang, Chin, and Kawthoolei, only to suffer eye-watering casualties and make no headway. Jet bombing can delay the outcome, but can’t substitute for loss of control on the ground. Unless China invades and the USA fails to help, Burma’s civil war is going in one direction only. There are many moments when progress seems slow, but they are punctuated by major breakthroughs. It’s anything but a stalemate.
Ethnic regions-------------------
Karen army Brigade 3 and allied PDFs overran and destroyed five junta targets including a police barracks and a junta army camp at Nat Than Kwin near Ler Doh (Kyaukgyi) in Kawthoolei’s Kler Lwi Htoo District on June 6. Over 60 dead junta troops have been found so far, left behind by their army, and at least 12 were wounded. Four Karen soldiers were killed and 13 wounded. They also blew up the main bridge connecting Ler Doh to the national highway to block junta reinforcements. The junta sent helicopter gunships. (Khit Thit Media 6/6, 6/8)
Update on the June 2 Karen army attack on junta administration offices in Naw Ta Koh town (Kyainseikgyi on Burmese maps) in Dooplaya District: NUG special ops forces and the Lion Column accompanied the Karen army, and began drone bombing at 4 a.m., then launched a ground assault into the city an hour later. They raided the police barracks, general admin office where troops were stationed, tax office, and judges’ offices. The junta shot 120mm mortars into civilian neighborhoods, killing a monk and 3 other civilians. At 8:30 the Karen & NUG forces withdrew according to their plan. Ten junta troops died and 20 were wounded; 3 resistance soldiers were slightly wounded. A number of weapons were captured. (The Irrawaddy 6/3)
Elsewhere in Dooplaya, a column of junta troops tried again to invade Thingan Nyinaung, west of Myawaddy on the Asian Highway, for 3 days May 30-June 1. They ran into heavy fire from the Karen army’s Cobra Column and the Federal Wings drone PDF. Nine junta troops were killed and 41 wounded including the junta commander, according to the Cobras, and the junta retreated. No injuries were reported on the Karen side. (Salween Press 6/4)
In Kawthoolei Mutraw District, the Karen army’s Brigade 5 fought 200 clashes against junta & BGF troops during May, killing 122 of them including 5 officers, destroying 6 supply vehicles. Two Karen soldiers were killed and 10 wounded. (KNU 6/3)
PDFs attacked junta troops camped at a monastery in Chaungnyiko village, Tenasserim Township, Beit-Tavoy District in Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps) on June 6, killing 10. (Khit Thit Media 6/6)
After Chinese pressure resulted in Thailand cutting off electricity to the Shwe Kokkol organized crime hub in Kawthoolei Pa-an District, the pro-junta BGF militia, which rules the enclave, threatened Thailand with closing the two cross-border bridges in nearby Myawaddy town. The BGF militia derives much of its income from the crime enclaves along the Thai-Kawthoolei border. (The Nation Thailand 6/6) It’s not clear that Thailand would be much affected by a border closing, while Myanmar’s failing economy would certainly suffer.
Intense fighting continued in Pekhon Township of Karenni area from last week into this week, especially in Mobye town which the junta is trying to capture. At least 62 junta troops have died in that battle, including platoon commanders; 10 were killed on June 5 alone. Junta mortar fire killed 2 children and 4 adults in Mobye. The junta is also trying to push into eastern Demawso Township. Jets made over 100 airstrikes there during May. Three junta soldiers ran away from their units without weapons; since they made no move to defect to the resistance, they were arrested by Karenni defense forces on June 3. Responding to heavy troop losses, the junta bombed civilian areas with jets and mortars. (People's Spring 6/4, 6/6, Than Lwin Khet News 6/5)
Three other junta soldiers defected to the Chin defense forces with their weapons. (The Irrawaddy 6/5)
The junta’s attempted invasion of Htantalan from Hakha in Chin State continued to go nowhere this week. On May 29, 150 troops started up that road, but they have stalled, and Chin sources say at least 50 of them have been killed and 20 wounded, meaning that half of the junta column is gone; 13 Chin soldiers and medics have also died. Htantalan town remains under Chin control; junta troops can’t get there. (People's Spring 6/4, The Irrawaddy 6/6) The Chin wiped out an entire convoy of 30 vehicles in April. After watermelon (junta insider) reports that the junta plans to try a different strategy for getting into Chin State, sending its troops in wearing civilian clothes and traveling in civilian vehicles, Chin authorities responded with a temporary ban on non-Chin residents entering the state. (People's Spring 6/8)
During the Chinese-brokered meeting between the Kokang, Ta’ang, and Arakan ethnic armies and the junta on June 2, the junta invaded the Kokang’s Laukkaing Township with a column of 70 troops and was ambushed. The Kokang also counter-attacked in Lashio town in northern Shan State, where the junta has its northeast command center, and attacked the police barracks and an army camp there for three days beginning June 2. The Kokang say at least 20 junta troops were killed during the 3 days; some were officers, and weapons were captured. They deployed their new 611th Brigade, composed of non-Kokang soldiers trained, armed, and commanded by the Kokang. (Myanmar Now, Khit Thit Media 6/6, The Irrawaddy 6/7) The junta is increasingly attacked in its urban strongholds.
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
After the ABSDF resistance militia attacked a junta police barracks in Taungkinyan, Gangaw Township, Magway Region on May 25, troops there began pressuring villagers to join the pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee terrorist militia. Seven villagers did, but the rest began fleeing, and the ABSDF is building temporary shelters for them. (Than Lwin Khet News 6/3) The junta continues to rob and burn villages across central Burma. It is a failure against military opponents, but can still savage civilians.
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
PDFs counter-attacked a village terrorism squad in Hommalin Township of Sagaing Region for 3 days, June 2-4, surrounding and blocking the terrorists. More than 20 junta troops were killed and their weapons were captured, including rifles and mortars. A PDF soldier also died. A junta helicopter came and dropped bombs. (Khit Thit Media 6/5) The Kachin army has often been active in Hommalin, but it is not mentioned in this latest battle.
Similarly, coordinated PDFs counter-attacked another village terrorism squad of 100 troops in Pinlebu Township of northern Sagaing Region on June 6, surrounding and trapping them. The PDFs say at least 30 from the junta were killed during 2 hours of fighting. Four jets then arrived and bombed, but missed the PDFs. (People's Spring 6/7)
PDFs fired 107mm missiles into 3 junta weapons factories in Seikphyu Township of Magway Region during the last week of May. At least 6 junta troops were killed in the explosions.
A PDF coalition attacked a junta camp in Shwebo Township on June 6, killing 6 of its troops. When reinforcements came, they were blown up by a roadside bomb, killing 4 more. Other PDFs attacked a police barracks in Depayin town the same day, killing 4 junta police, confirmed by a watermelon source (junta insider). (Khit Thit Media 6/6)
Zee Phyu Kone village has been a junta/Pyu Saw Htee terrorist base since 2021, from where the regime has launched assaults that have destroyed dozens of villages in and around Palay Township of Sagaing Region. On June 2 PDFs launched a 3-day mortar and ground attack on Zee Phyu Kone, killing 7 terrorists and wounding others; 2 PDF soldiers were killed. As the PDFs were overrunning the camp, jets showed up and drove them back. Some of the junta casualties were from friendly fire from the aircraft. The PDFs withdrew safely. Another PDF attack on a Pyu Saw Htee camp in Tantse Township killed three terrorists, and the others fled. (Khit Thit Media, Mizzima 6/6)
Nearby, in Pauk Township of Magway Region, PDFs blew up a junta convoy on June 2 with roadside bombs, killing 17 troops and/or Pyu Saw Htees. Enemy fire prevented the PDFs from collecting their weapons. (Khit Thit Media 6/5) Then on June 5 PDFs attacked a junta food supply convoy there, killing 13 more troops/Pyu Saw Htees and damaging vehicles. (People's Spring 6/6)
A PDF in Pakokku Township of Magway Region arrested an official of the junta-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) along with 5 non-CDM employees on June 5. They are still missing. (Khit Thit Media 6/7) MOGE is the biggest single revenue source for the illegal regime, with its offshore oil and gas fields as well as its oil drilling in Magway.
Junta troops suddenly disappeared from 8 road checkpoints in Ma U Pin, Hinthada, and Bogalay Townships in Irrawaddy Region on June 7. Electric generators were also removed, suggesting that the abandonment is permanent. The shrinking junta military may no longer have sufficient troops, but local PDFs are remaining wary. Junta patrols in the area continue. (Mizzima 6/7)
Urban warfare------------------
The NUG announced the formation of a new Yangon-based 5101st Urban Battalion. After the announcement, the junta regime tried to tighten security across the city, deploying more patrols, invading homes to check the “guest lists”, searching people as they move around. The 5101st Battalion is still in special ops training by the Karen army in Kawthoolei. (People's Spring 6/6)
A resistance cell set off an explosion in a junta tax collection office in downtown Yangon on June 5, injuring two people. (People's Spring 6/6) The resistance has targeted junta revenue sources and warned the public to avoid going to or contributing to them.
After nationalist extremist Lili Naing Kyaw was assassinated on May 30 in Yangon, the junta arrested two youths on accusation of her killing. Following the arrest, nationalist extremist MaBaTha thugs went to the home of one of the youths and beat his mother and sister nearly to death, then shot and killed them on June 6. They are threatening to torture and kill the families of Spring Revolution participants. (Khit Thit Media 6/7)
Political and economic-------------------
After denying permits to relief organizations and hassling local humanitarian teams in the wake of Cyclone Mocha since the storm ravaged the west and north of the country on May 14, the junta has now formally banned relief organizations. It did this after accepting millions of dollars worth of international relief donations. Witnesses say the junta is using materials donated to rebuild villages instead to rebuild its war camps and offices. On the other hand, ethnic homeland governments from around Burma have sent donations to be used by the Arakan Army in northern Arakan and southern Chin States, the worst hit. The AA is not hindered by junta restrictions. (Than Lwin Khet News 6/8, Khit Thit Media 6/9)
Interim NUG President Duwa Lashila made a field visit to refugees affected by Cyclone Mocha on June 3. The location of his visit, in a liberated area, was not publicized, for his safety. (Mizzima 6/4)
After most teachers joined the CDM strike in Bago town, there are so few left that classes are tripling up, three classes per teacher. The remaining teachers are pro-junta replacements, in many cases unqualified. In effect 12th grade students are being taught 11th grade again due to combining classes, so some parents and teachers don’t see a point. (Myaelatt Athan 6/3)
Russia is buying back some military hardware that it previously sold to Burma and India. It needs the spare parts it sold in order to retrofit tanks for use in its invasion of Ukraine, so it has bought back US$24 million worth from the Naypyitaw junta. (Nikkei Asia 6/6) Since it blew its military resources in Ukraine, Russia has stopped being the eager arms vendor that it was previously to the Naypyitaw regime.
Junta officers have been taking bribes from drug dealers in the Irrawaddy Region and Arakan State, among other places. Sellers of yaba pills (methamphetamines) have to make regular payments to military officers and junta police. Easy availability and drug abuse have increased after the Feb. 2021 coup d'état. Any arrests only involve dealers who failed to pay their bribes. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 6/6) The Naypyitaw regime consistently shows itself as a criminal mafia, yet the UN and other donors continue to treat it as if it were a national government.
- စီၤ ထံဆၢ