Burma coup resistance notes November 4, 2023
Junta collapsing across Shan State & Sagaing Region; towns begin to fall; USA finally sanctions junta oil company.
"If they dare to go out to the front lines, the PDFs and the ethnic armies will grind them to powder. The end of the war dogs is going to happen.” – A Yangon urban fighter referring to junta troops still stationed in the city.
Operation 10/27----------------
Results continued to come in from Operation 10/27 which began last week. The Brotherhood Alliance now controls four towns completely, three of them on the China border - Pansai (Pang Hseng), Jukok, and Chinswhehaw, plus Theinni on a major crossroads. With Theinni, the Alliance now controls all traffic going to and from China. (Kachin News Group 11/2) The junta’s reinforcements are unable to get through.
The Kokang said over 30 junta positions had been captured on the first day, and 97 positions by Nov. 3. Photos showed masses of corpses, but most junta troops fled their positions rather than be killed or surrender. (People's Spring, Khit Thit Media 11/2)
Video taken by Kokang forces in Monko Township of Shan State, showing just one of many enormous hauls of weapons and ammunition captured during Operation 10/27. (Khit Thit Media 10/31)
As junta positions try to hold out under fire, waiting for reinforcements that aren’t coming, more and more are surrendering or fleeing. Junta troops tried to flee across the border into China in a video, but were ordered back by the Chinese. (Chindwin News Agency 11/2)
In Monko Township the Kokang captured all 9 of the junta’s camps there. (Khit Thit Media 10/29) Naungcho city has fallen after all junta troops and police fled. The Ta’ang army and Mandalay PDF took over on Oct. 29. An armored vehicle was captured. (The Irrawaddy 10/30) Naungcho is less than 60 km from Pyin Oo Lwin where the junta has its military academy. The junta sent troops forward from Pyin Oo Lwin to try to prevent Revolution forces getting there, but that convoy was attacked and halted by the Mandalay PDF on Nov. 1 and some weapons were captured. (Mizzima 11/1)
Theinni (Hsenwi) town is likewise now controlled by the Kokang. That crossroads town controls most traffic going to and from China.
The Kokang immediately set up a military governance administration for the greatly expanded area now under their control. They vowed to protect civilians and provide law enforcement to prevent the area turning into an international crime enclave. The Kokang and Ta’ang also warned remaining junta personnel to quickly surrender. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 10/28)
The Kokang flag is flying over the border crossing gate with China in Laukkai.
Six tanks were captured in the fighting and a bridge in Hopan Township was blown up to prevent junta troops getting back in. The Lashio airport was closed due to the proximity of Revolution forces. The Kokang said captured weapons required more than 10 trucks to transport. (Khit Thit Media 10/28)
The junta dropped 80 paratroopers near Chinshwehaw on Oct. 28, and 70 of them were killed. It tried to air drop supplies to its troops, but there aren’t any more, and all of the packages were received by the Kokang. (Than Lwin Times 10/28) Likewise, the Ta’ang army intercepted all 5 cases of ammunition air-dropped to troops in Lashio on Nov. 3. (Khit Thit Media 11/3)
Kokang forces invaded the center of Theinni town and were attacking junta defenders there, who were seen fleeing. (People's Spring 10/28) Junta police abandoned Kyaukme town and fled to the military camp. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 11/1)
An entire battalion, or what remained of it, surrendered to to the Kokang army at Kumlon. Forty-one soldiers and officers surrendered from Infantary Battalion 143. The Kokang took possession of thousands of weapons including mortar rounds, grenades, launchers, etc.
Meanwhile, the Ta’ang army and Mandalay PDF finished a battle outside Naungcho town by capturing and clearing a junta camp there on Oct. 29. (The IrrawaddyB 10/29) The Ta’ang are fighting to take control of Namkam city on the border between Shan and Kachin States and China. (Kachin News Group 11/3)
The Burmese People’s Liberation Army said it was attacked in northern Shan State by 80 junta troops and drove them back so they hid in a village, where the battle continued. By the end, the BPLA says it found over 30 junta corpses and captured three including an officer, and seized nearly 50 weapons.
The Arakan Army captured a junta camp between Theinni and Kumlon on Oct. 30. (People's Spring 10/31) The same day, all the junta troops fled from a camp between Lashio and Theinni when the Ta’ang army began attacking. (Khit Thit Media 10/31)
A leaked document showed that the junta warned its Laukkaing garrison three days prior to Operation 10/27, indicating that the junta knew of the coming attacks, but wasn’t able to do anything about them. (Chindwin News Agency 10/28) Analysts believe some camps were abandoned because the junta ordered its troops to retreat, afraid that they would surrender in battle. (People's Spring 11/1)
Revolution forces participating in Operation 10/27 number about 20,000. (The IrrawaddyB 10/31) Numbers are less important, however, than effectiveness. The Ta’ang and Kokang have consistently overwhelmed much larger numbers of junta troops, who are out of their familiar areas, worn out from the war, and demoralized to the point of running away en masse.
On Day 4 of Operation 10/27 the Arakan Army was reported in action in Sagaing Region, fighting together with the Kachin army and local PDFs in Htee Chaing Township and in Waingmaw Township of Kachin State. The junta has been sending its scarce resources to Arakan State, suggesting an impending outbreak of conflict there, but the AA has not fought in its home area since nearly one year ago. Now it is fighting in Shan, Kachin, and northern Sagaing. (The IrrawaddyB 10/30)
Kachin-----------------
The Kachin army seized another junta position, a camp in Nammatu Township in northeastern Shan State, on Oct. 29. This attack compounds the 10/27 offensive by the Brotherhood Alliance. (People's Spring 10/29)
On Oct. 31 the Kachin army captured yet another junta camp at Kandaungyang north of the free Kachin capital Laiza on the road toward Myityina. It was the 65th camp captured in the past week. (The 74 Media 10/31) The junta was so angered by the loss of Kandaungyang that it unleashed days of bombing of the free Kachin capital Laiza. (People's Spring 11/1) Junta jets invaded Chinese air space, but the Beijing regime raised no objection. (The 74 Media 11/2)
The Kachin army seized a junta road checkpoint in Waingmaw Township on Nov. 3, arresting the junta police and immigration operatives there.
Kawthoolei------------------
After the Karen army invaded Kaw T’Ree town and overran multiple junta positions there on Oct. 27, on Nov. 2 it did the same in Noh Ta Kaw town (Kyaiseikji on Burmese maps). Some weapons were captured. A Karen-allied PDF used a locally-manufactured multiple missile launcher against junta troops. (Karen Information Center 11/2)
Karen PDFs confronted junta troops in the Dawei Special Economic Zone in Nabule north of Tavoy city on Oct. 26 and killed 16 of them, with 10 wounded. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 10/29)
About 100 junta troops from Beit-Tavoy District moved into Dooplaya District where they were confronted near Kyaikdon by Karen army Special Operations Group on Oct. 25. Ten of the invaders were killed including the commanding officer, a major; 8 others were wounded. (Than Lwin Times 10/31)
Chin------------------
A convoy of 80 trucks and 300 troops is preparing to invade Chin State via Mindat and Matupi. Chin defense forces have moved down into western Magway Region to oppose it.
Karenni------------------
Karenni defense forces say at least 40 junta troops were killed during 30 confrontations in the month of October. These consisted almost exclusively of attacks in Hpruso Township on the supply convoy trying to move from Loikaw to Mese, which is currently stopped in Bawlakhe, less than half of the way, after 3 months. (Khit Thit Media 11/4)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing and Magway Regions PDFs have followed the lead of Operation 10/27 in Shan State by attacking nine junta positions at once, capturing 5 of them and gaining more control over towns.
PDFs launched attacks in Monywa, the capital city of Sagaing Region and the location of the junta’s northwest military command, on Nov. 3. Casualties still aren’t known. (People's Spring 11/3)
In Kalay Township, home to some of Sagaing’s strongest PDFs, they and the Kachin army attacked 6 junta positions on Nov. 3 and captured at least 4 junta positions in and around Khampat town in northwestern Sagaing Region on Nov. 3, and they now control almost all of the town. The junta responded with airstrikes. (People's Spring 11/3) Similarly, PDFs began taking control of Kawlin and Wuntho towns in Sagaing Region on the same day, capturing several junta positions there. That would give them control of the entire townships. (Kachin News Group 11/3)
A PDF coalition in Monywa Township of Sagaing Region attacked a reinforced junta position using mortars and rockets, killing 22 troops, on Nov. 1. The PDFs had to withdraw when reinforcements arrived in armored vehicles. (Khit Thit Media 11/2)
PDFs attacked a junta police barracks in Kantbalu Township on Nov. 2. When troops burned the camp and fled, the PDFs occupied it. They also attacked a Pyu Saw Htee terrorist camp. (Myanmar Now 11/2) Likewise, PDFs in Gangaw Township of Magway Region stormed a police barracks in Minywa, capturing 10 junta police alive on Nov. 3. (People's Spring 11/3)
PDFs attacked junta police and troops at a road control gate in Myinchan Township of Mandalay Region on Oct. 29, killing 23 of them. The junta then sent reinforcements by road, but they were blown up by roadside bombs, overturning 3 vehicles and gravely wounding 10 more troops. Many of the survivors were in danger of dying. (Chindwin News Agency 10/30)
PDFs also attacked and captured a junta/Pyu Saw Htee camp in Khin Oo Township of Sagaing Region on Oct. 30, killing at least 15 enemy; 3 PDF soldiers including a commander were also killed. The PDFs captured weapons and ammunition from the camp.
Bago Region PDFs announced that during October over 80 junta troops were killed and more than 30 wounded during 11 clashes in Yetashei Township near Taungoo, which borders on Kawthoolei Taw Oo District. Two platoon commanders were among the dead. Some weapons were captured. (People's Spring 11/2)
Urban warfare-----------------
Operation 10/27 came to Yangon the night of Oct. 29 with bombings of junta offices and guard posts in Hlainthaya, Insein, and North Dagon. Urban guerrillas claim there were casualties, but no numbers are reported. (Khit Thit Media 10/29)
A watermelon report from inside the junta says battalions in the military capital Naypyitaw have been ordered to prepare for a Revolution attack and that they are to fight to the death.
Junta decline------------------
As the junta collapses across northern Shan State some military families in the junta capital Naypyitaw are fleeing the city, no longer confident that their army can protect them. They are moving to outlying villages to escape fighting that they anticipate whenever Revolution forces come to Naypyitaw. (Ayeyarwaddy Times 10/31)
The junta has resorted to heavy-handed fundraising to support its losing troops in Shan State after Operation 10/27 began. It is expecting business operators to contribute 1 million kyats each (about US$300). (The IrrawaddyE 11/3) The once-mighty junta is now reduced to private fundraising just like the PDFs.
Terrorism--------------------
Junta troops murdered civilians by beheading, burning, and dismembering them in Depayin Township. Some bodies were found charred, others without heads, others without arms or legs in a village raided by troops on Oct. 27. (Khit Thit Media 10/28)
Political and economic-------------------
Finally after nearly 3 years the USA has sanctioned the junta’s oil and gas company, MOGE, along with Canada and the UK. The sanctions also target 5 junta officers. (Khit Thit Media 10/31) The USA had been reluctant to sanction MOGE because its main client is the PTT company owned by the Thai government, with whom the Americans want to maintain good relations. MOGE is the junta’s main source of revenue.
China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong flew to Naypyitaw on Oct. 30 to discuss border security and law enforcement with the outlaw regime there. (The IrrawaddyB 10/31)
The Kawthoolei government (KNU), Chin government (CNF), and All-Burma Student Democratic Front militia issued a letter condemning the UN aid industry’s decision to funnel aid through junta-controlled entities such as the “defunct and discredited NCA [National Ceasefire Agreement] structures.” They urged the aid industry to work through parallel but separate channels to support people in need in junta-controlled areas and those in areas under attack by the junta. (KNU 10/29)
Due to the fighting in northern Shan State, all major border crossings to China have been closed, including the main one at Muse. (Hsan Loi Voice 10/28)
Demonstrations and tire-burning against the junta broke out in Yangon the night of 10/27, the first in a very long time that such open expressions of resistance have been attempted. (Mizzima 10/28) Protesters had limited themselves to momentary flash marches.
Hoping to encourage tourism in war-torn Burma, the illegal regime has prohibited hotels, rentals, and restaurants from raising their prices, because the regime has banned inflation. (The IrrawaddyB 10/28) The value of the kyat currency has lost 60% of its value since the coup, but vendors are not allowed to compensate.
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