Burma coup resistance notes March 31, 2023
Karen army launches multiple attacks, junta unable to respond; PDF attacks center of junta military on Anti-Fascism Day; more sanctions on aviation fuel for civilian bombing.
As the illegal military regime was preparing another self-congratulatory pageant for itself in Naypyitaw on March 26, a PDF fired four 107mm missiles into the parade grounds where it was to take place hours later, causing damage. Dictator Min Aung Hlaing hesitated about attending. The junta calls the parade “armed forces day,” but the Spring Revolution has renamed it Anti-Fascism Day, and celebrated it with marches and remembrances of past martyrs around the country. (Ayeyarwaddy Times, People’s Spring, 3/27) It is significant that even the top junta brass are not safe in the heart of their military capital.
The Karen army and allied PDF also fired eight of the 107mm missiles into the junta air base in Taungoo on March 25 & 27, blowing up a fuel depot and damaging a helicopter, killing 3 troops. A watermelon source had supplied the Karen with detailed information about targets inside the base.
Kawthoolei-------------------
The Karen army was on the attack this week. In Dooplaya District of Kawthoolei, Karen Brigade 6 mounted 4 simultaneous attacks on March 25, some continuing the next day. The Cobra Column invaded and burned the junta’s trade zone and a police station at the Myawaddy border crossing with Thailand, capturing 8 troops and police and a quantity of guns and ammunition, killing 11 troops and wounding 3. One Karen soldier died and two were wounded. The Cobras left immediately, and junta troops spent the rest of the day shooting their guns in all directions.
Also that day, the Karen attacked and burned the police barracks at Thingan Nyinaung, a short distance from Myawaddy where the Asia Highway enters the Dawna mountain range. At least 10 police were killed and 16 were missing after the attack.
On the west side of the Dawna, Karen forces attacked a police barracks in Kaw T’Ree town (Kawkareik on Burmese maps), where the fighting continued into the next day. Junta helicopter fire killed 2 civilians.
Finally, further west in Kyondo, Karen forces attacked a pro-junta BGF militia camp, killing 15 enemy but losing 3 Karen soldiers as well. Junta air strikes destroyed some homes in Kyondo town. (Karen Information Center 3/26, Mizzima 3/25)
Three days after that on March 28, Karen army Brigade 5 captured and destroyed the Mae Kha Hta junta camp, one of the last remaining junta positions on the Salween River banks facing Thailand; 16 troops were killed and 7 wounded, and a boat hauled away a large quantity of weapons and ammunition. One Karen soldier was killed and 8 wounded. Junta jets bombed Mae Kha Hta three times that day and the next. Five of the seven junta wounded escaped to Thailand, where they were hospitalized and given protection by the Thai regime. (Salween Press 3/28, Karen Information Center 3/30)
That day also, Karen army Brigade 1 attacked and nearly captured a junta police barracks at Nyaung Kone on the border between Doo Tha Htoo and Pa-an Districts. Ten junta police were killed, but 3 Karen were wounded and they retreated. (People's Spring 3/29)
Much further south, in Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), a PDF in Bokpyin stormed the camp of a pro-junta militia, killed its leader, and captured 5 members and their weapons. (Than Lwin Times 3/29) In Kawthaung the junta is ordering the wives and teenage children of soldiers to carry guns and stand guard duty at bases and camps, due to absence of enough soldiers. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 3/30)
At the northern end of Kawthoolei, Karen army Brigade 2 attacked two junta camps near Leiptho on March 28, killing a deputy battalion commander and an unknown number of other troops. It was serious enough that helicopters and jets came to bomb. (People's Spring 3/28)
Karenni---------------
The major offensive launched against Karenni defenses in early March appeared to be losing momentum this past week. There was one large battle again in Pinlaung township of southern Shan State, where the junta had massacred Pa-O people on March 11. In a 2-day battle March 25-26, the Karenni inflicted 20 fatalities on junta troops; the number of wounded isn’t provided. Three Karenni were killed and 20 wounded. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 3/30)
Karenni forces on the Thai border attacked and captured another junta camp on March 24. (People's Spring 3/28) In Demawso township there was more minor fighting at Taung Meh Thin on March 28, and then a junta retaliatory jet bombing the next day at a refugee camp that killed a man and wounded 3 other civilians. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 3/30)
Chin---------------
The action in Chin State continued to center around large junta convoys fighting their way along the mountain roads while being attacked repeatedly by Chin defense forces. On the Hpalam-Hakha road, the convoy of troops in 30 civilian vehicles that originated in Kalay on March 10 was attacked on March 25 and 27, killing 4 troops and then 10 more. (Mizzima 3/26, People’s Spring 3/29) A column of 80 foot soldiers marching along the Matupi-Patletwa road was attacked again; this time 13 were shot dead in a Chin ambush. Previously 28 had been killed in earlier attacks, but helicopters then supplied replacements. (People's Spring 3/26)
The Kachin army was also in action, in Banmauk township of northern Sagaing Region, where a battle took place over the past week. The KIA and allied PDFs inflicted an unknown number of casualties, bringing retaliatory air strikes that killed 3 civilians. (The Irrawaddy 3/27)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
The so-called “monster column”, or junta Infantry Battalion 708, has been on an orgy of massacres, rapes, beatings, and beheadings in Sagaing Region. It was 708 that carried out the massacre in Tatai village of 17 people on March 10, raping the 3 women among them. It killed and cut the heads off 4 PDF soldiers in that battle. On March 5 the troops trapped 200 people in Lakkapin village of Myinmu township, then raided nearby PDF camps, killing a head monk and at least 7 PDF soldiers. Last year, the same terrorist battalion massacred 29 civilians in Mondaingpin village in Ye Oo township by tying them up and cutting their throats and shooting them. That is why 29 PDFs ganged up and killed 42 of the 200 terrorists in Battalion 708 in mid-March. The NUG has obtained a list of 63 of its remaining members for eventual punishment. (Khit Thit Media 3/28)
Also, in one of the other villages burned this week, seven elderly people were burned alive by junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee terrorists when they were unable to flee San Kone village in Butalin township of Sagaing Region on March 25. (Mizzima 3/26)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, PDFs attacked a junta jade convoy descending from Kachin State toward Mandalay, blowing up a truck and killing 15 troops. (People's Spring 3/29) Another convoy was blown up on the way from Monywa to Mandalay on March 29, killing 13 troops. (People's Spring 3/30)
On March 25 a watermelon source tipped off a PDF that a convoy of 40 junta troops would be coming through disguised as PDF soldiers. The real PDFs ambushed them and killed 5. (Mizzima 3/26)
In Salingyi township, a PDF dropped 2 drone bombs on the grounds of the Chinese-owned Wangbao copper mine and smelting factory, as a warning to the company to stop letting junta troops use the factory as a staging ground for junta village terrorist attacks. (Myaelatt Athan 3/26)
In Shwebo, a bomb exploded near a bus park, killing 2 civilians and wounding 40. The local Black Wolf PDF condemned the bombing and denied any connection to it. Thus, it may have been a junta provocation attack rather than a PDF operation gone wrong. (Mizzima 3/29)
In Magway Region, a junta terror squad attacked San village in Yaw township on March 30, but was counter-attacked by the Yaw Defense Force. Thirty junta troops were killed. (People's Spring 3/31)
In Mandalay Region, a PDF roadside bomb blew up a junta vehicle in Tagaung on March 26, killing 8 troops. Another vehicle came to their assistance, and it was blown up also, killing 6 more. In all, 18 troops were killed in Tagaung that day. (Khit Thit Media 3/27)
In Bago Region, a column of 70 junta troops was marching along a road in Otpo township on March 24, when a PDF detonated 9 roadside bombs spaced carefully to match the spacing of marching troops. The bombs killed 10 of the troops. (Khit Thit Media, Mizzima 3/25)
Various smaller actions killed a total of over 55 troops this week in Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, Kawthoolei, and Karenni.
Urban warfare------------------
An urban guerrilla group in Yangon destroyed two high-tension power line pylons that supply electricity to a junta-owned pharmaceutical factory and a battalion base in Hmawbi township on March 27. (Khit Thit Media 3/27) Likewise, three junta-owned Mytel communications towers were destroyed in Hmawbi, Htantapin, and Hlegu townships of Yangon Region on March 27-28. (DVB 3/29)
Bombs exploded in Yangon Region, Tharketa, Insein, and North Dagon Township on Fascist Revolution Day March 27.
Political and economic-------------------
On March 29 the illegal military regime announced that the majority NLD political party was dissolved. The NLD announced that the military regime was dissolved.
The Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners says 1,070 people have been murdered while in custody by the Naypyitaw junta since the coup. (3/28)
The UK joined the UK in imposing new sanctions against companies and individuals involved in supplying aviation fuel to the illegal Naypyitaw regime for bombing civilians. (People's Spring 3/28)
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ