Burma coup resistance notes November 23, 2022
Junta goes all-out to depopulate central Burma and urban districts; People's Defense Forces inflict casualties all over the country; Norway may be 1st country to recognize National Unity Government.
An article in Frontier Myanmar today highlights the corrupt relationship between international NGOs, UN agencies, and the genocidal dictatorship. These “aid” agencies prioritize keeping their offices and staffs running over working cross-border or with the National Unity Government to get the aid where it really needs to go, to the 1.2 million internal refugees mostly outside of junta-controlled areas where junta-collaborating agencies are allowed to work. As a consequence, it is the junta that decides where the aid of these collaborationist agencies goes, which is where it benefits the regime.
Ethnic regions-------------------
The Kachin army and local PDF ambushed a column of more than 100 junta troops in Kathah township of northern Sagaing Region yesterday, first with 8 roadside bombs followed with gunfire. Casualty figures aren’t reported yet. (Than Lwin Khet News) While the junta has been hammering the Kachin army with airstrikes and troop movements in Momauk and Hpakant townships, the Kachin have not remained on the defensive, but have consistently attacked the junta in various other locations.
A fierce battle is reported from last night to this morning at Baledo in eastern Dooplaya District of Kawthoolei (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps) as the junta continues its attempts to retake its lost camp at Thay Baw Bo. Incomplete reports don’t give casualty figures, saying only that they occurred on both sides, but it must have gone badly for the junta because it called in helicopter gunship strikes. Three Karen soldiers, including one male, were killed and 4 wounded when a junta mortar round hit their car. Thousands of villagers are clustered on the Thai border due to junta air and mortar attacks. (Karen Information Center)
In Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), junta troops were clearing roadside bombs along the Dawei-Yephyu road yesterday when two of them were blown up; it isn’t clear yet whether they were killed or just wounded. (Khit Thit Media) Also in Ye Phyu township yesterday, a dalan was assassinated by local defense forces. (Myaelatt Athan)
In southern Mon State today, the Mon State Monsters PDF shot up a car carrying 3 junta police including a camp commander on the Dawei-Ye road. All 3 were killed and a military rifle was captured. (Myaelatt Athan)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
Junta troops burned Sathein and Gwaygone villages of Pauk township in Magway Region last night, driving residents to rush out into the night. Sathein was completely burned to the ground. Today the terrorists attacked Nyaungyin village. The terrorist assault follows a battle earlier yesterday in which PDF forces killed 11 junta troops and wounded 6. (Khit Thit Media)
In Salingyi township of Sagaing Region, junta troops are marching along the Monywa-Pathein road and firing into villages, forcing thousands of people to flee into the bush. (People's Spring)
This morning, a junta terror squad of 200 troops burned Nanwindaw village in Tantse township and then headed toward Seithah village, after burning Kawahthei village in Kyun Hla township earlier.
In Khin Oo township, a junta terror gang is burning Pont Kone, Thautkan, and Alesho villages today, and helicopter gunships are shooting into the villages. (Khit Thit Media) More than 2,300 homes in 47 villages of Khin Oo township have been destroyed by junta terror attacks since the illegal coup d'état of February 2021. (People's Spring)
The violence in Khin Oo township spills over into Kantbalu and Ye Oo townships. Mong Hla, Pinseinkin, and Jisu villages are being attacked with mortar fire and burned today. Local PDFs are trying to defend against the terrorist attacks, killing at least 10 of the 200 enemy troops. A civilian has been killed and 2 PDF fighters slightly wounded by junta mortar fire. (Khit Thit Media)
In Wetlet township, Hlataw village has cleared out today in expectation of a junta terror attack. (Myaelatt Athan)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, the Guerrillas Without Borders PDF coalition fired locally-manufactured mortars and rifles into the junta’s administrative headquarters in Palay township yesterday, killing 5 troops and wounding 6. (People's Spring)
In Kathah township, junta troops along the bank of the Irrawaddy River were trapped between the river and a minefield yesterday, when a local PDF fired 9 rocket-propelled grenades at them. Witnesses report many dead, but no figure is given. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
In Myinmu town, drunken troops guarding the junta-owned Myanma Economic Bank were again attacked with grenades yesterday, killing 5 and wounding the remaining 2. (Khit Thit Media) This same bank branch has been attacked before with similar results.
PDFs blew up a junta security detail guarding the Wangbao Chinese crony copper mine at Thayetkan yesterday, killing 4 troops and wounding others out of 100 total troops.
In Magway Region, PDFs in Myaing township fired mortars and small arms into a junta/Pyu Saw Htee camp at Anaut Bonkan yesterday, killing 3 troops and wounding others. (Khit Thit Media) The same day, junta and Pyu Saw Htee operatives went to steal a ripe peanut crop from local farmers’ fields in Thayetgwa village of Myaing township, but were shot by PDF soldiers guarding the fields; two Pyus were killed. (Myaelatt Athan)
The junta column that was returning from burning Bahin village in Pauk township yesterday was intercepted by a PDF coalition with 8 roadside bombs, killing 11 troops and wounding others. The junta burned its own police barracks at Bahin because it can no longer defend the post. (The Irrawaddy)
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, some people from the 5 wards of Mingaladon township that have been condemned by the junta have begun setting up huts and tents by roadsides. Some are moving to outer suburbs. Some have simply not moved yet, including monks and nuns from monasteries. A few residents with nowhere else to go have killed themselves. Fifty thousand people lived in the wards that the junta suddenly claimed belong to it. (Khit Thit Media)
An urban PDF blew up a junta checkpoint in Hmawbi in northern Yangon Region, causing at least 3 casualties. This is a place where troops extort money from travelers, and it is close to a junta air bombing base. (Myanmar Now)
In Mandalay, an urban PDF fired a grenade into a junta admin office in Pyigyidagon township, killing a Pyu Saw Htee terrorist and blowing the roof open. Two others were wounded.
Political and economic-------------------
Members of Norway’s parliament expressed a commitment to the return of democracy in Burma, and will hold further meetings with representatives of Burma’s pro-democracy movement. There is speculation that Norway may become the first foreign country to officially recognize the National Unity Government as Burma’s legitimate government, which would open the way for other governments to do likewise. (Khit Thit Media) Until now other countries such as the Czech Republic and the USA have engaged in informal relations with the NUG.
Australian economic advisor Shawn Turnell, who was imprisoned by the junta for 21 months because of his support role to elected head of state Aung San Suu Kyi, is back home in Australia after being released this month. He gave some details of his detention, such as hearing the screams of other tortured prisoners, the murder of a fellow prisoner by beating, getting infected 5 times with Covid in prison, and abusive alcoholic jailers. There were midnight interrogations chained to a chair, months of solitary confinement, bizarre accusations that the economic advisor was dealing weapons, being fed every day in a bucket, leaky roofs and drenching rain. (People's Spring, The Irrawaddy)
-စီၤ ထံဆၢ