Burma coup resistance notes September 11, 2022
Troops & police of the military regime continued dying by the dozens yesterday. Others quit and joined the Revolution. The junta’s severe manpower crisis is becoming acute.
Surprising revelations are emerging from former junta troops who joined the Karen army Brigade 6 in Kawthoolei Dooplaya District (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps). They say that last month a commander ordered his unit to attack the Karen Cobra battalion on Three-story Bend hill, and the entire unit rejected the command and threw down their weapons and vests. The commander had to back down. The troops are tired of being sent to slaughter there, which could explain why junta attacks have tapered off. In addition, the ex-troops say there have been so many desertions and defections, in addition to the dead and wounded, that the junta battalions are far below strength. The defectors said they are given plenty of ammunition, which is arduous work to haul around on their backs, but they aren’t given enough food. Morale is so low it is undercutting the junta’s ability to fight. (People's Spring)
At noon yesterday junta police from a checkpoint in Nyaungpinwan village of Sagaing township were counting money extorted from travelers, when an explosion suddenly occurred among them, seriously wounding three. It was caused by a PDF drone hovering high overhead and dropping bombs. When the 3 wounded were being loaded onto a truck to go to a hospital, another drone bomb fell, killing those 3 as well as 2 others.
Ethnic regions-------------------
In the ongoing battle of Mobye in Karenni area, 15 more junta troops were killed yesterday, the 3rd day during 7.5 hours of fighting, and more weapons were captured by the Karenni defense forces. Nearly 60 troops have now died in the junta’s latest attempt to capture and control Mobye town. As always, the junta then sent jets to drop bombs where its ground forces were losing. Three Karenni defenders were seriously wounded and 10 received minor injuries. (Khit Thit Media) Like the Myawaddy-Waw Lay road in Kawthoolei Dooplaya District, Mobye is turning into a bottomless pit where the junta throws men in and keeps losing them without making any progress.
In Arakan State the Arakan Army captured another junta camp on the Bangladesh border yesterday. In an hour of fighting 13 junta troops were killed, 4 were captured alive, and 4 fled. The AA recovered 4 junta bodies and all the weapons of the dead and captured before 2 helicopters arrived and began strafing the area. (Khit Thit Media)
In Mon State, a PDF opened fire on a police station in Mawlamyaing where some civilians were being held 2 days ago Sept. 9. Two junta police were killed and the civilians were released, then the station was burned.
In Kachin State, a PDF in Hpakant shot 3 junta police yesterday as they shopped in a market, killing 1 and wounding the others.
In the junta-occupied capital of Karen State, Hpa-an, a local PDF bombed a military command office today, damaging an army vehicle parked in front. (Karen Information Center) In Kawthoolei Beit-Tavoy District (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), after an anti-coup protest in a village of Thayetchaung township on Sept. 9 was reported to the junta by a local dalan, troops came and shot their guns randomly in the villages, injuring 2 civilians. Then they threatened to burn down the villages if there are any more protests. Also yesterday, a PDF bombed 2 junta trucks on their way from Ye Phyu to Dawei, hitting one of them. (Mizzima)
Junta army desertions------------------
In Kawthoolei Dooplaya District (Myawaddy township on Burmese maps), 2 more junta troops defected to the Karen army Cobra battalion on Sept. 9. The information they provided during debriefing is discussed above. They are having their first solid meals in months. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
In Karenni State, 3 junta soldiers defected to the Karenni defense forces with full weapons on Sept. 9 and have been given safety in liberated Karenni territory. They said they had been forcibly recruited.
In Sagaing Region, two junta soldiers from a police barracks in Butalin township who defected to the local PDF on Sept. 5 have now reached safety in a liberated area; they brought their weapons with them.
Three junta troops who absconded from their unit without their weapons in Indaw township yesterday were arrested by the local PDF. Since they are deserters rather than defectors, they are being held as prisoners of war; furthermore they are accused of stealing a motorcycle and a phone from a local citizen. (Mizzima)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Pakokku, Magway Region, a local PDF helped 5 political prisoners to escape from prison there. They have been rescued and brought to safety in a liberated area, but suffered some injuries climbing over barbed wire and a brick wall. (The Irrawaddy)
The Monywa junta prison warden captured yesterday admitted under interrogation that a new prison is being built near there to hold 1,000 more political prisoners, to be completed next year.
In Irrawaddy Region, junta officers at the prison in Pathein are demanding ransom of 50 to 300 million kyats to release citizens kidnapped and accused of political crimes. Ten abductees have been ransomed so far in this way. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)
In Magway Region, a PDF in Pauk township spotted 3 pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee terrorists who had come out of their camp to buy food yesterday, and killed them.
In Mandalay Region, a PDF in Myinchan township shot a junta captain and another soldier off their motorcycle and captured their weapons yesterday, while another PDF assassinated 2 pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee terrorists in the same township. (Mizzima)
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, an urban PDF bombed a junta admin office in North Okalappa township this morning, and published a warning for admin staff collaborating with the junta to leave the junta and stop threatening and harassing the public. (Khit Thit Media)
Not much has been heard recently about the pro-junta terrorist Thway Thauk (blood-drinking) group created to murder politicians of the majority NLD party. The Thway Thauk themselves became the targets of PDF assassins. This morning, however, 3 men were found with their throats cut in Amarapura township of Mandalay, with tags left by the Thway Thauk. (Mizzima) Also in Mandalay, a local junta administrator and 2 pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee terrorists were assassinated in Amarapura township.
Political-------------------
Junta dictator Min Aung Hlaing admitted in an internal communication that battlefield losses are high and PDF drone bombing is creating difficulties, but blamed the army’s poor performance on unprofessionalism and poor following of orders by low-level soldiers.