Burma coup resistance notes March 11, 2023
PDFs continue counter-attacking village terrorist raids; junta trying to maintain a presence in Chin and Karenni States; civilian massacre at Tatai village in Sagaing Region.
Ethnic regions--------------
In Chin State, a convoy of 30 commandeered civilian trucks, 2 armored vehicles, 200 foot soldiers, and 30 civilian hostages as human shields has left Kalay town in Sagaing Region heading toward Hpalam and Hakha in Chin State. A report says they are taking the ground route because Chin defense forces recently used a drone to shoot and damage a helicopter in Htantalan. Chin forces have already blown up part of the convoy, killing 6 junta troops and wounding 14 on March 10. (Myaelatt Athan, Khit Thit Media)
Also in Chin State, Chin defense forces attacked a junta column sent to reinforce Thepwe camp in Paletwa township on March 8, killing 8 and wounding 16. (Chindwin Yoma News)
In Karenni State, there has been more fighting along the Thai border in Shadaw township after the Karenni captured a junta camp and some weapons the previous week. Karenni defense forces raided another camp at Hwe Om on March 7, in which they found 6 dead junta troops and 4 weapons. With the road from Loikaw cut off by Karenni forces, the junta is trying to send supplies to its border camps from Shan State, but the Karenni have attacked those convoys three times also, killing 5 troops. Now the junta has pushed reinforcements into Loikaw, Demawso, and Pekhon, and is shelling eastern Demawso and Pekhon, with fighting reported to be intense. (People's Spring)
A lot of activity in Kawthoolei, and the Karen army often delays announcements for several days for security reasons. On March 3 Karen army Brigade 1 attacked junta troops sent to protect the Yangon-Mawlamyaing highway against attacks in Doo Tha Htoo District (Kyaikto township on Burmese maps); 6 troops were killed and 5 wounded. (Than Lwin Khet News) In Beit-Tavoy District (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), PDFs assassinated two local Pyu Saw Htee leaders in Launglone township, then junta troops murdered 6 random civilian men. (Tanintharyi Times) Two days later in Thayetchaung township Karen PDFs blew up part of a 24-vehicle convoy, overturning a truck and burning another; 22 junta troops were killed and 5 wounded. (People's Spring) Khit Thit Media reports a clash in Taw Oo District (Thandaunggyi township on Burmese maps) on March 7 in which a PDF killed 8 junta troops. In Mutraw District (Hpapun township on Burmese maps) Karen army Brigade 5 attacked a junta police barracks at Katai Ti on March 5, killing 5 junta/BGF troops and wounding 6. Brigade 5 says that during the month of February it fought 170 clashes with the junta, killed 69 troops and wounded 49, captured one camp along with the Burmese People’s Liberation Army, while 2 Karen soldiers died and 3 were wounded. The junta dropped 44 bombs during 7 airstrikes, killing 3 civilians and destroying 36 homes. (People's Spring)
The Mon State Monsters PDF captured a junta camp at a bridge in Son Nant village in Ye township on March 10, killing 6 troops. (Than Lwin Khet News) Also in Mon State, the gas pipeline through which the junta exports its offshore natural gas to Thailand was blown up by a PDF on March 9; it has been the target of repeated attacks. (Tanintharyi Times)
Junta jets have been bombing a Kachin army brigade headquarters after the regime attacked a camp in Hin Sein on March 6 and the Kachin army counter-attacked at Sintaw, causing “many casualties”, it says. Also, a junta officer traveling in civilian disguise was shot four times and gravely wounded on March 9 in Mogaung township of Kachin State. (People's Spring, Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, PDFs attacked and overran a Pyu Saw Htee terrorist camp at Chapji village in Kantbalu township on March 2, killing 40 of the poorly-armed and –trained pro-junta terrorists out of 60 living there. (Ayeyarwaddy Times) On March 5, a coalition of at least 7 PDFs surrounded a junta column on the road while it was out committing terrorist attacks on villages in Wetlet township; 18 troops died and 15 were wounded. (Khit Thit Media) In Monywa town, PDFs opened fire for 15 minutes with locally-manufactured mortars and gunfire on a junta immigration office, involved in preparing for the fake election, on March 8, killing 21 junta troops camped there. This is significant because Monywa is Sagaing’s biggest city, and urban centers have been the junta’s last bastions. (Than Lwin Khet News) On the other hand, junta troops raided 2 PDF camps in Myaung township on March 5, capturing uniforms and some locally-manufactured mortars, but all the PDF soldiers escaped with their rifles. (The 74 Media)
There has been another civilian massacre, in Tataing village of Myinmu township, Sagaing Region on March 2; details have slowly been coming to light. Fourteen civilian men and 3 women were murdered by junta troops after a battle with PDFs. The women were raped and onions and garlic inserted into them by the rapists. Six troops were killed during the battle. (People's Spring)
In Magway Region, 50 junta troops in civilian clothing were ambushed at a Pyu Saw Htee terrorist camp at Kanni in Myaing township on March 4; 6 were killed, and a the PDFs captured a few weapons and some money. (Khit Thit Media)
In Mandalay Region, PDFs attacked junta and Pyu Saw Htees in Sanku township on March 7, killing 13 and wounding 10. (Khit Thit Media)
In Yangon Region, an urban PDF fired locally-manufactured lon-range rockets into the Kappas junta weapons factory at Taikji, causing 3 explosions. Revolutionary groups have been attacking the 20+ junta arms factories since February. (People's Spring)
Political and economic------------------
Conditions in the junta’s prisons gulag continue to be medieval, but have got even worse in Mandalay’s Obo prison recently. Women in particular have been tortured, beaten, raped, denied medical care and food and water. A woman with a broken jaw was not allowed care. (The Irrawaddy and other sources)
Amnesty International and the Burma Campaign UK have named Thai and Indian companies as suppliers of aviation fuel that the junta uses to bomb hospitals, schools, and other civilian targets. Greek and Indian companies supply the ships that bring the fuel to the port of Yangon, and a Japanese company provides the necessary insurance. (The Irrawaddy)
America’s Central Intelligence Agency published a report saying that international military support is necessary to end the war in Burma, otherwise a stalemate may persist and the dire humanitarian crisis could deepen further. (People's Spring)
- စီၤ ထံဆၢ