Burma coup resistance notes November 15, 2022
Karen attack Magway air base; junta accidentally kills 60 of its own troops; troops & Pyu Saw Htee proxies chase farmers away, then steal their crops.
A breaking story this afternoon says the Karen army (KNLA) fired 3 rockets into a junta air base and headquarters – in Magway in western Burma, at least 150 km outside of Kawthoolei. The report says the Karen worked with 2 local PDFs there. The damage isn’t yet known. Junta troops then attacked the nearby village of Thapyesan. (Khit Thit Media) If verified, the deployment of Karen forces to western Burma would represent a significant advance in nationwide coordination of the war effort, whereas local and ethnic forces have previously stayed in their own areas.
News has emerged of a large 3-day battle in northern Sagaing Region where 70 to 80 junta troops and/or their local proxies were killed by a People’s Defense Force when they tried to commit a terrorist assault on a village. Junta troops and their ethnic Shanni lackeys attacked Pinkote village in Hommalin township on Nov. 11, which was protected by a local PDF. They fought for 3 days; junta troops fired mortars, destroying a health clinic and a house. The junta and Shanni retreated on Nov. 13 after losing 70 or more troops. (Khit Thit Media)
There is another emerging report of a horrendous friendly fire massacre of the junta’s own troops on Sunday. After a battle in Myaung township of Sagaing Region on Nov. 13, PDF forces left the field. Junta troops in plain clothes, who had been burning villages, then entered the field. A junta helicopter then arrived and mistakenly attacked the plain-clothes junta troops where the PDF had been, gunning down 60 of them. PDF soldiers observed the body count through their gun scopes. (The Irrawaddy) Junta troops often pose in civilian clothes or fake PDF uniforms in order to infiltrate areas and blame their terrorist actions on the PDFs.
Ethnic regions-------------------
The Kachin army and allied PDFs have been fighting the junta in Indaw township, northern Sagaing Region for 2 days. On Nov. 13 they intercepted a column of 100 troops, killing 4 and wounding 5. Another clash occurred yesterday; casualties from that aren’t reported, but witnesses saw several junta dead and wounded. (Khit Thit Media)
In Karenni State, Karenni defense forces caught junta troops disguised as civilians as they tried to deliver food to an outpost at Lawpita, about 5 km southeast of Loikaw town, on Nov. 13. Three troops were killed including an officer, and some weapons and ammunition were captured.
A fierce battle raged yesterday in Maungdaw township, Arakan State after the junta attacked an Arakan Army hilltop position with jet bombing and mortar fire. (People's Spring) Today the AA followed through on its vow and attacked the junta camp in Ponnah Kyun township, where junta troops massacred 10 civilians 3 days ago. Casualties aren’t yet known. (Khit Thit Media)
In northern Shan State, 3 explosions occurred in a karaoke bar owned by a junta-affiliated local militia in Muse on the Chinese border yesterday, injuring 2 people. A PDF warned junta collaborators of future attacks. (People's Spring)
In Dooplaya District of Kawthoolei (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps), junta troops tried again to invade Lukot Nyaungchaung on the Mawlamyaing-Waw Lay road yesterday in Dooplaya District of Kawthoolei (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps). They were repulsed by the Karen army Cobra battalion and the Federal Wings drone force. There was an unknown number of junta casualties, but none on the Karen side.
Villagers in Thailand are evacuating due to the danger of being hit by Burma junta mortar shells and jet bombs. The junta has been trying to recover its lost base at Thay Baw Bo in Dooplaya District since Nov. 7, firing long-range mortars from Palu and bombing with aircraft. (Karen Information Center) That camp is right on the Thumwe River which forms the border between Kawthoolei and Thailand.
In Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), PDFs in Tanintharyi township attacked junta troops twice yesterday. In Mawton village the PDFs opened fire on troops and killed 6 and wounded 6; a PDF soldier was shot in the arm. A short time later another PDF attacked troops in Bodikam village and killed 3 of them. The PDF now controls the bridge at Bodikam. (The Irrawaddy) In Launglone township junta troops invaded a monastery and dragged away the abbot, another monk, and 3 monk apprentices yesterday, accusing them of supporting a PDF. In Palaw, the junta drone-bombed a middle-aged couple selling their wares along a road today, injuring both of them; the husband is in critical condition. (Mizzima)
A PDF called the Ye Mon State Monsters opened fire on a junta battalion stationed in Ye town today with grenades and small arms, seriously wounding 4 troops. The Monsters say the troops were too weak to fight back, since many of them were redeployed to Arakan State when fighting resumed there. (Ayeyarwaddy Times) This is an illustration of how the entry of new combatants into the war stretches junta forces to the breaking point.
Junta army desertions------------------
The Kachin army says approximately 500 junta soldiers and police have crossed to its side since the illegal coup of Feb. 2021, and that they are given safe refuge in liberated territory. (Kachin News Group)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
A junta terror gang assaulted and burned Letpan village in Saw township, Magway Region today. The smoke column from the destroyed village was visible for many kilometers in every direction. The troops also kidnapped a monk and 4 other civilians as hostages. (Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, there was another case of junta/Pyu Saw Htee terrorists stealing the crops of villagers they had chased away, in Kani township. PDF forces came to the defense of the farmers’ fields, firing locally-manufactured mortars at the terrorists.
PDFs counter-attacked another junta village terrorism gang yesterday that was entering Myaung township from Yesagyo township in Magway Region. As smoke rose from a village torched by the troops, the PDFs fired and killed 5 of the them, provoking a helicopter attack that failed to harm any PDF soldiers. (Khit Thit Media)
In Magway Region, a PDF ambushed a junta/Pyu Saw Htee patrol in Pauk town last night, killing 1 soldier and 3 Pyu Saw Htee and wounding the other 3. (Khit Thit Media) Again, the Revolution forces are increasingly hitting the junta in the few places it still controls, the urban centers of townships.
In Mandalay Region, a PDF blew up a junta convoy in Myetalaing village of Maddaya township yesterday, killing 9 troops. In Myinchan township, a PDF fired on a junta outpost yesterday, killing 2 Pyu Saw Htee terrorists and wounding another 3, driving away the rest, and burning down the outpost. It was found that the junta had only given knives to the Pyu Saw Htee, not trusting them with guns. On Nov. 13 a PDF opened fire on a junta check gate on the Mandalay-Maddaya road where there were 30 troops and police; 3 troops were killed and others wounded. Afterward, the troops shot their guns in all directions, but the PDF withdrew without casualties. (Khit Thit Media)
A dalan (regime spy) in Mandalay Region’s Maddaya township and a junta administrator in Bago Region’s Yetashei township were assassinated today. (Khit Thit Media) They are dealt with severely because they literally get people imprisoned, tortured, and killed through the information they provide to the junta. In some cases they are using the current situation to settle old scores or rivalries.
Urban warfare------------------
On the outskirts of Mandalay, a prominent protest leader, Dr Tay Zar San, appeared at a large protest rally yesterday. (People’s Spring) This is significant because he has so far eluded capture and he is still somewhere around Mandalay, unlike other leaders of the Revolution who have been imprisoned, tortured, and/or killed. The Revolution has proceeded largely without individual leaders, instead relying on mass participation and leadership from the ethnic minority armies.
As in Yangon, the junta is perpetrating urban destruction in Mandalay, razing 300 homes along the railroad in Pyigyitagon township. It ordered the people out at gunpoint within 7 days and then bulldozed their homes.
In Mawlamyaing, Mon State, Burma’s 4th largest city, a PDF attacked junta police as they were preparing to raid a house, killing one policeman and a junta administrator. The police then turned on the PDFs, capturing 4 of them, including 3 men, then torturing and killing all 4 of them. (Khit Thit Media)
Political and economic-------------------
The junta is trying to collect back salaries paid to families of soldiers who have deserted or died. In some cases the salaries are pocketed by commanders. (Khit Thit Media) Families of soldiers spend the money almost immediately and live on the edge of survival, so they are in no position to repay back salaries, but the junta is searching desperately for cash sources.
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ