Summary of News
- NUG’s Labor Minister exposes the military junta’s tax announcements as merely a scheme aimed at taking advantage of workers, using public funds to harm the general public
- Renewed clashes erupt in Laukkai as the military initiated attacks
- KNU seizes the military junta’s 30-year-old Mo Lo Kyo base within a 20-day operation, uncovering 70 bodies and confiscating 28 assorted weapons
- Dawei District PDF Battalion 1 offers a substantial reward for defecting junta armed forces members bringing along weapons
- Landmine attacks in Myaing targets junta columns, resulting in 10 deaths
- Military launches artillery attacks on civilian areas in Rakhine
1. NUG’s Labor Minister exposes the military junta’s tax announcements as merely a scheme aimed at taking advantage of workers, using public funds to harm the general public
Nai Suwunna, Union Minister of Labor for the National Unity Government, asserted that the announcements made by the military junta regarding taxes are merely a plot aimed at taking advantage of workers, using public funds to harm the general public.
“The military council’s recent instructions about the family remittance program and the payment of taxes that migrant workers must follow are nothing more than a conspiracy to kill people with public money by unfairly abusing workers’ sweat. It is very obvious that as a migrant worker, he has the right to manage his wages as he sees fit, and no one can compel him what to do,” Union Minister Nai Suwunna stated.
Furthermore, Union Minister Nai Suwunna urged overseas employment agencies and migrant workers to unite and firmly oppose the military’s attempt to wield power over family remittances, not participating in both the family remittance program and the tax payment procedures, which will contribute to the military council’s war expenditures aimed at slaughtering the population.
2. Renewed clashes erupt in Laukkai as the military initiated attacks
Laukkai experienced a resurgence of conflict after military offensives in the Kokang region on the evening of December 18, as confirmed by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
While there had been no significant fighting in the Kokang region since December 10, hostilities between the two sides resumed on December 19. This escalation followed the military’s launch of three airstrikes in the Lao Xiang Tang area of Laukkai, where the MNDAA fortress is situated, on the evening of December 18.
3. KNU seizes the military junta’s 30-year-old Mo Lo Kyo base within a 20-day operation, uncovering 70 bodies and confiscating 28 assorted weapons
The allied forces, comprising the Karen National Union (KNU)’s Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)’s Karenni Army (KA), and the Karenni National People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF), successfully seized control of the military junta’s 30-year-old base in Mo Lo Kyo, namely Point 939, on the border of Karen State and Karenni State, situated on the Karen State side. This occurred during their second offensive on the evening of December 16, as announced by the KNU headquarters. The initial offensive was launched on November 24, during which the forces surrounded and blocked the Mo Lo Kyo base.
After the capture of the Mo Lo Kyo base, the allied forces discovered 70 deceased junta troops, and they confiscated 28 various weapons. The KNU suggested that the injured junta troops were escaped and were likely to join Light Infantry Battalion 440. The seized weapons included an 81-mm motor, an RPG-7, three K-3 motors, sixteen K-3 rifles, a G-3 rifle, a machine gun, a light machine gun, a 60-mm motor, two 9-mm pistols, and lots of ammunition.
Five warriors of the KNU/KNLA Brigade 5 were killed and some injured in the base captured battle, as stated in the KNU’s statement.
The military’s stronghold, Mo Lo Kyo Point 939 base, has been positioned on the Karen State and Karenni State border for 31 years since 1992. This base comprises two outposts: Saw Htar outpost and Thi Mu Htar outpost. The KNLA had earlier seized control of the Thi Mu Htar outpost on March 27 of this year.
Following the successful capture of Mo Lo Kyo Point 939 base on December 16 by the revolutionary allied forces, according to the KNU report, the junta troops stationed at the other outpost, Saw Htar, abandoned the position and fled.
4. Dawei District PDF Battalion 1 offers a substantial reward for defecting junta armed forces members bringing along weapons
On December 19, Dawei District Battalion 1 of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) called on members of the junta’s armed forces to surrender and switch sides, assuring them that they would reach out to the NUG’s Ministry of Defence to provide substantial rewards for defectors who bring weapons with them.
The Battalion advised soldiers, police officers, and militia members affiliated with the military junta, urging them to cease their loyalty to the terrorist regime, which would otherwise leave them as historical culprits for generations. Instead, they encouraged these individuals to align with the public interest, bravely joining forces with the People’s Defence Force of the National Unity Government.
5. Landmine attacks in Myaing targets junta columns, resulting in 10 deaths
The combined local defense forces launched landmine attacks on the military junta columns marching in Myaing Township, resulting in the deaths of 10 junta troops, as reported by the Myaing Township People’s Defense Team (Pa-Ka-Fa/PDT).
On the evening of December 19, the combined defense forces used a large improvised mine to ambush a military junta column that came out of Twin Ma village, where Pyu Saw Htee militias are dominating, reportedly resulting in the deaths of six junta troops and heavy injuries to 10 others, they said.
The military column rested for two days in Twin Ma village since the deputy commander was killed in the attack before continuing their march under the leadership of the commander and stealing food from residents in Hnin Si Kan village. The landmine attack was carried out cooperatively by the Battalions 2, 6, and 7, Myaing Warriors Force, Light Ray Guerrilla Force, the MRDF, and the Kamma Defense Force (KMDF).
Similarly, the Myaing PDT also engaged in the previous landmine attack at 11:30 p.m. on December 18 against a military junta column of roughly 80 troops that came out of Zee Taw village, Yesagyo Township, when they arrived near Pu Twin village by using four large improvised mines, reportedly resulting in the deaths of four junta troops and heavy injuries to two others.
6. Military launches artillery attacks on civilian areas in Rakhine
According to reports on December 19 at 12:00 p.m., the junta’s Light Infantry Battalion 209 (LIB 209), operating under the 22nd Military Division and based in Nwar Yon Taung village, Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, engaged in indiscriminate firing three times using a MA-7 (Myanmar military-produced 60-mm extended range mortar). This resulted in some shells exploding 180 meters north of Sin Thay Pyin village, where Muslim residents reside.
Additionally, it was reported that on the same day, the junta-affiliated Border Guard Force (BGF) Battalion 5 conducted continuous and indiscriminate artillery fire in the surrounding areas for one hour, starting at 6:00 a.m. The shells landed and exploded in the vicinity of Pan Taw Pyin village, Kan Thar Yar (mid) village, and Kan Thar Yar (upper) village.
The Arakan Army (AA) reported that the Military Operation Command 9 (MOC-9) based in Kyauktaw fired six artillery shells, utilizing both 60-mm and 81-mm artillery, targeting locations where AA troops were positioned.
#Credit : Radio NUG
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