Burma Coup Resistance Notes May 17, 2025
School airstrike massacre climaxes a week of junta bloodshed; Karen take 3 more positions; Chinese economic colonization of northern Shan State.
Terrorism----------------------
The regime’s civilian slaughter campaign had a banner week. On May 11 jets cluster-bombed a school in Oe Htein Kwin village in Depayin Township of Sagaing Region, massacring 23 children and 2 teachers and injuring 102 more. There were headless bodies of children, others with their entrails exposed, and severed arms, legs, and scalps. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/12) The pilot who blew up the children has been identified by watermelon spies as Zawmin Htinkyaw. (Local sources) The UN and Western countries issued Strongly Worded Statements in response to the terrorist carnage. Junta propaganda claimed the slaughter was a hoax.
On May 12 troops invaded a village in Gangaw Township of Magway Region and shot 11 residents to death including children, and abducted 20 others as hostages.
On May 13 jets hit a civilian community in Rathedaung Township, northern Arakan State, killing 13 people including children and wounding more than 30. (Khit Thit Media 5/12, 5/13) Seven more people were killed in another airstrike in Kyauktaw on May 15. (People’s Spring 5/15)
Jets bombed Wetlet Township of Sagaing Region on May 10-11. Five airstrikes killed 12 civilians, including children. Three of the bodies were obliterated. Nine other people have severe wounds. (Myanmar Now 5/11) All of these are liberated areas where no battles were taking place, and the targets were purely civilian, fitting the definition of terrorism.
This is not all; other airstrikes killed civilians in smaller numbers around the country during these same days, in places such as Chaung Oo of Sagaing Region, Mindat in Chin State, and Kler Lwi Htoo District of Kawthoolei. Mizzima News counted 91 murdered civilians in 64 airstrikes in one week. Two of these attacks were on refugee camps, re-victimizing people who had already had to flee their homes. (Mizzima 5/15)
Junta jets continue to pound towns controlled by the Ta’ang army (TNLA) since the TNLA refused to cede liberated areas back to the junta during Chinese-engineered talks in April. Manton, Nyawngcho, and Mogok have been hit, among others, resulting in civilian casualties. Thus far the Ta’ang have not yielded to the terrorist tactics and Chinese pressure. (The Irrawaddy 5/14)
Since China forced the return of Lashio city to junta control in April, crime has surged out of control on the streets. The Kokang ethnic administration had been providing police coverage, but the junta is not performing that function, and residents report increased levels of insecurity. (Shwe Phee Myay 5/13)
Kawthoolei----------------------
The Karen army captured a junta rear command post on the Asia Highway on May 14, 3 km east of Kaw T’Ree town (Kawkareik) toward the Dawna Mountains. The Karen have surrounded and cut off junta positions in Kaw T’Ree and Kruh Tuh town (Kyondo), and have captured a number of posts between the two towns. They are fighting their way into the outer neighborhoods of Kaw T’Ree. The junta is apparently not able to send any more reinforcements as the remnants of its failed Aung Zeya column struggle to survive. In 13 months the column never reached its target, Myawaddy city on the Thai border. (People’s Spring 5/14)
Footage of a drone attack on a junta camp in Kawthoolei’s Mutraw District by the Force for Federal Democracy drone PDF, which collaborates with the Karen army. The Karen attacked the camp on May 13. (FFD 5/14)
The day after successfully capturing a junta camp at Takawbiki in Lu Pleh Township of Pa’an District on May 9, the Karen army’s Brigade 7 launched an attack on another one at Tanleh, 7 km from the Thai border, on May 10, completely capturing it on May 13. Nine junta troops were found dead after the battle including a commander, out of the 40 or so in the camp. The rest fled and are being hunted by the Karen army. The Karen captured large numbers of 120mm and 81mm mortar shells, the biggest sizes. (Kawthoolei government/KNU 5/15)
After taking Tanleh, Brigade 7 began attacking another camp at Maw Po Kay, also in Lu Pleh Township, on May 14, storming and destroying it on the morning of May 16. Though the final assault took less than 48 hours, the camp had been surrounded and cut off for 2 months. Now the Karen are hunting the defeated junta troops who fled from Maw Po Kay also. (People’s Spring 5/15, Khit Thit Media 5/16) Brigade 7 is rapidly clearing out the enemy from this stretch of the border north of Myawaddy and Shwe Kokkol. The pro-junta BGF splinter militia has done nothing to help.
Also on May 10, the Karen army’s Brigade 2 launched an attack on junta forces along the Taungoo-Pa Yei Naw Ta (Thandaungyi) road in Daw Hpah Hkoh Township of Taw Oo District. (Than Lwin Times 5/10)
After the May 9 seizure of the Battalion 598 junta camp in southern Kler Lwi Htoo District by the Karen army and allied PDFs, 30 dead junta troops were found, 83 weapons were seized including guns and mortars, and 6 troops and 7 family members were captured. More than 50 fled. Unfortunately at least 6 PDF soldiers were killed by enemy airstrikes. (NUG Ministry of Defense 5/11) Then the Karen-led forces had to retreat from the camp due to massive bombardment, and it was re-occupied by junta reinforcements on May 12. (The Irrawaddy E 5/13)
A positive outcome of the Kler Lwi Htoo fighting is that the main road connecting Saw Ti and Ler Doh towns (Shwegyin and Kyaukgyi on foreign maps) is now controlled by the Karen army. (KNU 5/16)
Arakan----------------------
The Arakan Army is engaged in intense battles at Laymyethna in the Irrawaddy Region, where it is encroaching on a junta artillery base, and at Kyauk Phyu in Arakan State. The AA has captured the outposts surrounding the Laymyethna base and fighting continues. (People’s Spring 5/15) In Kyauk Phyu, a vague report cites “hundreds” of junta troops killed and missing, while the regime continues to ship in reinforcements by sea and fire at AA positions with mortars and navy ships. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/15)
Karenni----------------------
Fighting continues fiercely in northern Karenniland, with 600 junta troops advancing in Pekhon and Nyaung Shwe; at least 18 of them were killed by Karenni defense forces during a 10-day battle May 6-15. The Karenni also shot down 2 large drones. Five more junta troops were killed on May 14 as they tried to take over more of Mobye town. In addition, 16 new forced recruits fled the junta and joined the Karenni forces. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/16)
Northern Shan----------------------
Junta ground forces attacked the Ta’ang army (TNLA) in Nawngcho Township on May 10. This comes after many airstrikes, a unilateral TNLA ceasefire, and Chinese interference that forced the neighboring Kokang army to return Lashio city to the junta. (The Irrawaddy 5/11) This renewed junta aggression is a direct result of the Chinese meddling to prop up the doomed military regime.
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)----------------------
About 1,000 soldiers of a PDF coalition launched a surprise coordinated attack on 8 junta positions in Myinchan Township of Mandalay Region on the morning of May 15. Fighting is ongoing and results aren’t clear yet, other than at least 6 PDF soldiers have died so far. There have been junta casualties but no numbers are reported yet. The junta has been responding with airstrikes. (Myaelatt Athan 5/16)
A PDF coalition attacked a column of 100 junta troops who were marauding in villages in Magway Region’s Yesajo Township on May 9. During 20 minutes of intense gunfire, 27 junta troops including an officer were killed and nearly 30 were wounded. The PDF also shot down a junta drone, but a PDF soldier was killed. (Khit Thit Media 5/13)
In Otkwin Township of west Bago Region, PDFs stormed a junta camp on May 10, capturing vehicles and burning the camp down. Some of the 50 to 60 police/troops in the camp were wounded, others fled. (DVB B 5/13)
PDFs attacked 2 junta road checkpoints in Min Hla Township of Bago Region on May 8 and 11, causing the 50 total troops in the 2 camps to flee. The PDFs destroyed the camps in anticipation of the arrival of junta reinforcements. The checkpoints were used to extort money from travelers. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/13)
PDFs in Sagaing Region are preparing to liberate Tamu town on the Indian border, by surrounding the junta troops and their Phyu Saw Htee militia and cutting off supplies. The junta operatives have responded by crossing the border into India to purchase supplies, and the Indian authorities have supported them by allowing the cross-border military supply. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/14)
A report came in of a campaign in Myaing Township in Magway Region, where a column of 180 junta troops began raiding villages, burning houses, and looting on May 1. Two days later they were met by PDF forces, which progressively surrounded them and stopped their progress. The junta troops called for air support, and then were able to retreat on May 7. The PDFs found 8 dead troops and captured some weapons on May 14 as they were clearing the area. (People’s Spring 5/15)
A PDF calling itself the Badass Burma Force captured an armed junta officer at a karaoke bar in Pakokku in Magway Region on May 10. (Khit Thit Media 5/14)
The Federal Wings PDF is one of the most advanced of those that specialize in drone warfare. FW has pioneered research and development of long-range drones, alternative frequencies to avoid jamming, the manufacture of helmets and bullet-proof vests, robotic landmine sniffers, and other technologies for the resistance. Lately it has developed its own jammers to protect against junta drones that follow resistance drones back to their bases, as well as other enemy drones that spy and drop bombs. FW is funded by donations. You can see more about their inventions and make a donation at https://web.facebook.com/FederalWings
Chinese neo-colonialism----------------------
Beijing demonstrated its control over the Kokang ethnic administration in April when it forced the Kokang to return Lashio city to junta control. The Kokang are ethnic Chinese living in the northeastern corner of Shan State, and China extorted concessions by holding the Kokang leader captive and shutting the borders, which caused economic hardship.
In further evidence of China’s colonial hold over the Kokang, it is forcing local landowners to rent parcels to Chinese sugar cane companies at a quarter of the usual rental rate, to subsidize China’s food market. Witnesses in Kokang say 70% of business owners there are Chinese nationals, making the Kokang region a fiefdom of Beijing inside Burma’s borders. (DVB E 5/14) The ethnic Wa state is another China-controlled fiefdom in Shan State, and there, Chinese-owned mines are causing arsenic and mercury poisoning of groundwater that affects over a million residents including adjacent areas of Thailand. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 5/16)
Elsewhere in Asia, China is reaching out to grab military control of foreign territories such as Filipino islands in the West Philippine Sea, other islands belonging to Japan and Vietnam, Arunachal Pradesh state in India, and the entire island of Taiwan. In Burma, China’s seizure of control is of a less obvious, more insidious economic colonial nature, which nevertheless results in expansion of Beijing’s control.
Political & economic----------------------
The EU and UN are once again expressing outrage over a civilian massacre by Burma’s illegal military cartel, at the school in Depayin. They demand an end to the violence. It is useless and nonsensical to react to individual acts committed by this regime - they are the natural consequences of allowing the existence of a junta that is prepared to kill as many people as necessary to hold onto power. What civilized countries consider war crimes and atrocities are its modus operandi. Schools, hospitals, and temples aren’t collateral damage, they are the targets. The various international sanctions are helpful and appreciated, but are obviously insufficient to end this evil. Statements issued at peaks in the slaughter miss the point - the problem isn’t this or that genocidal event, it is the existence of the regime. Until that is rooted out completely, these atrocities are to be expected. So the West should save its sanctimonious statements. What’s needed is action to end the regime.
BCRN is now on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/sawhteecher.bsky.social. BCRN does not post on X (Twitter).
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