Burma coup resistance notes November 14, 2022
People's defense forces now routinely counter-attack junta terror gangs as they destroy villages; scale of Karen army victory in Kler Lwi Htoo District becomes clearer.
News has emerged of a slaughter of junta troops during dictator Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Dawei city on Nov. 2-4. It started with a PDF bombing after which injured and frenzied troops shot each other, including some with missing limbs. Two PDFs say they detonated 4 powerful roadside bombs as the troops were passing, then the PDFs opened fire with rockets and gunfire. They say at least 20 troops were killed. At the end of the dictator’s visit on Nov. 5, a convoy of 16 troops was blown up in Launglone township, killing 5, and the same day in Yephyu township another convoy of 100 troops was hit by 4 roadside bombs, killing about 40. A total of about 60 troops were killed out of 400 deployed for the dictator’s visit. (Tanintharyi Times) The dictator himself traveled by helicopter and was not exposed to the slaughter.
Ethnic regions-------------------
Some pictures and details are emerging from the Karen army’s triple victory Nov. 12 in Kler Lwi Htoo District of Kawthoolei (Shwegyin township on Burmese maps). The junta battalion commander at the Baw Ka Hta camp was killed; the Karen army says 11 junta soldiers died, and that at least one Karen soldier was also killed and some wounded. Dozens of mortars, rifles, and other equipment and weapons were captured and taken away by the Karen forces when they overran the enemy camps.
In Arakan State, the junta has begun stealing private trucks from civilian drivers to use in shipping army food and weapons. This is to try to avoid attacks by the Arakan Army such as the one that captured 2 junta food trucks 3 days ago. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
Junta army desertions------------------
The junta is having to allocate some of its scarce manpower to try to find deserters from the army and police. In Ngaputaw township of Irrawaddy Region troops have spent a week doing that, and have caught 6. The report doesn’t say how many they are looking for. (Mizzima) This is likely the tip of a very big iceberg, since desertions are not publicly reported, and other sources have said commanders keep missing soldiers on their rosters in order to continue receiving the accopanying supplies from the army.
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
About 70 troops in 5 vehicles burned villages in Mattaya township of Mandalay Region on Nov. 12, and as they were returning to base after a hard day of terrorism, a PDF bombed the convoy, killing 3 troops and wounding 8. (Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
A PDF counter-attacked 80 junta troops during an assault on Tangyi village in Wetlet township 2 days ago Nov. 12, killing 5 of the terrorists and wounding others. Two PDF soldiers were slightly wounded. The PDF had to break off due to insufficiency of weapons and ammunition. The same day, a PDF in Salingyi township of Sagaing Region fired 40mm grenades at troops guarding the Chinese Wang Pao company, killing 2. (Khit Thit Media)
Yesterday 100 junta troops returning from a terrorist assault on Shwe Hlan village were counter-attacked by PDF soldiers in Yesagyo township; casualties aren’t reported. Also In Yesagyo, 50 PDF soldiers attacked a junta military hospital where a wounded Pyu Saw Htee terrorist leader was being treated for a gunshot wound. The PDF killed him and 2 junta troops. (Myaelatt Athan)
In a Nov. 11 multi-village assault by terrorist troops landing by helicopter in Ye Oo township, the troops tortured and then shot 5 local people, including 2 teachers participating in the national Civil Disobedience strike, a mentally-ill man, and 2 others. Then they kidnapped 2 other villagers as hostages when they retreated. (Myanmar Now)
Urban warfare------------------
Village destruction has come to Yangon. The junta now claims that it owns the land in 5 wards of Mingaladon township, near the airport, where people have built 10,000 homes and have been living for 20 years. It ordered everyone out within 7 days and will raze entire neighborhoods to the ground, leaving 50,000 people homeless. The homeowners legally bought the land from farmers 20 years ago. (Khit Thit Media)
Last night a junta patrol car was blown up in Hlaing township of Yangon, sending 2 troops to the hospital. Another bomb was found before it could go off. There were also explosions in Sanchaung, Thaketa, Boldataung, and Mingalataung townships. A police station was bombed in Hlaingthaya township. (People's Spring)
For the past few days Burma media have been full of reports and video footage of violent crimes being committed in cities due to the lack of police protection since the coup. Crime has been increasing sharply for months, as criminals take advantage of the absence of police, who are all busy fighting to maintain the junta in power rather than carrying out police duties. Citizens face the double threat of a criminal regime and dangerous street criminals. (People's Spring)
Political and economic-------------------
Family members of the junta generals will travel to Russia to purchase more weapons. (People's Spring) Even while the country lacks foreign currency reserves to import enough fuel and food, the regime still dedicates millions of dollars for these arms purchases in Russia. These sales pass through junta-related front companies, diverting about 30% of the profits into the private pockets of junta generals and their cronies. A common theory is that this is the real reason the junta kills thousands of its citizens to hang on to power.
At a holiday parade, a marcher was abducted by junta troops because he was showing an image of Burma’s national independence hero General Aung San. Gen. Aung San was the father of current elected head of state Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the overwhelmingly popular NLD party that crushed the junta’s political party in the last elections in November 2020. The junta has been keeping the 77-year-old leader in solitary confinement in one of its prisons. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ