Military News
Evening (PM)
1. Speech by the Defense Minister Urging SAC Troops to Lay Down Arms**
The Ministry of Defense has reiterated the speech of Defense Minister U Yee Mon, urging SAC troops to lay down their arms.
On January 4, 2024, a special notice from the Defense Minister to troops and police officers under the control of the military junta was reissued.
“The final days of the military dictatorship have arrived. The fear of the Union disintegrating and the self-serving mindset of exploiting the ethnic people is over. The one truly safeguarding the Union now is the People’s Government and the revolutionary organizations. It is time for you to see the truth. The time has come to stop serving the military junta and its dictatorship,” said Defense Minister U Yee Mon.
Additionally, he urged all troops, whether battalion, regiment, or regional headquarters, to contact the People’s Government NUG and revolutionary organizations immediately.
2. Two Women Killed by Artillery Fire in Si-Sai Township; Over 3,000 Residents Displaced
The Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) reported today, August 7, that two Pa-O ethnic women were killed and over 3,000 residents were displaced due to artillery fire by the military in the villages of Si-Sai Township, Southern Shan State.
On August 6, heavy artillery targeted more than ten villages in the eastern part of Si-Sai Township, forcing residents to flee into forests and mountains. Additionally, two teenage Pa-O girls from Thiri Village, who had fled the conflict, were killed by artillery fire during the night of August 6.
The military’s targeted shelling of Pa-O villages in the eastern part of Si-Sai Township since August 3 has reignited clashes, resulting in the displacement of local residents. Following the completion of the first phase of Operation 1027, fighting resumed in Si-Sai Township, and reports indicate that the military, using artillery and aircraft, could target the PNLA headquarters after retaking Laikha and aiming to capture Taunggyi.
Currently, the military has blocked access to the main road into Si-Sai Township, controlled by Infantry Battalions 424 and 423, and some internet connections have been cut off.
3. Alliance Urges International Community, Including China, to Stop Junta’s Bombing of Non-Conflict Areas
The Brotherhood Alliance—comprising the Kokang-MNDAA, Ta’ang-TNLA, and Arakan Army-AA—has issued a statement urging the international community, particularly China, to intervene and stop the junta’s bombing of non-conflict towns and villages.
The junta has been using bombs, including 500-pound bombs, to target civilian areas under the control of the Brotherhood Alliance, leading to calls for intervention. The attacks have targeted civilian infrastructure, such as markets, schools, and hospitals, and the Brotherhood Alliance condemns these war crimes.
The junta’s airstrikes on towns and villages controlled by TNLA in Kutkai and Namhsan, MNDAA in Laukkai and Hseni, and AA in Mrauk U have resulted in civilian casualties and significant property damage.
The Brotherhood Alliance calls for the protection of civilians in their controlled areas and urges the international community to prevent further airstrikes by the junta.
4. Junta Troops Burn and Destroy Homes in Ko Kyin Village, Yesagyo Township
Reports indicate that junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee forces burned and destroyed civilian homes in Ko Kyin Village, Yesagyo Township, Pakokku District, Magway Region, on August 6.
The Information Committee of Yesagyo reported that junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee forces entered Ko Kyin Village on the morning of August 6, burning and destroying civilian homes, and looting food supplies and valuable items.
The arson attack resulted in the destruction of 23 homes. Residents of southern Yesagyo Township frequently experience such attacks and looting by the junta due to their strong resistance movement.
On August 1, the junta stationed at Pakokku Technical College fired artillery at Ale Kyo Village and Ko Kyin Village, resulting in the death of one woman and injuries to three others, including two children.
Yesagyo Township, a stronghold of resistance in Magway Region, frequently experiences such military attacks, leading to civilian casualties and property destruction.
5. Junta Troops Burn Homes in Lae Thit (West Bank) Village, Tanintharyi Township
The junta burned civilian homes in Lae Thit (West Bank) Village, Tanintharyi Township, Myeik District, Tanintharyi Region, on August 2, according to Myeik-PDF.
The junta launched an attack on Lae Thit Village by land, water, and air, and during the attack, they burned civilian homes. The People’s Defense Forces (PDF) and People’s Defense Groups (PDG) under the Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government (NUG) launched a counterattack, causing the junta to retreat.
6. Airstrike in Kutkai Town Results in Six Deaths and Over 400 Shops Burned
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) reported today that six people were killed and ten injured in an airstrike by the junta on Kutkai Town, Northern Shan State, on the evening of August 5.
The junta carried out four airstrikes on Kutkai Town, dropping seven 500-pound bombs, resulting in the destruction of over 400 shops in the town’s main market and damage to more than ten civilian homes.
The TNLA’s Kutkai Township Fire Brigade managed to extinguish the fire in the market, and TNLA forces provided security to prevent looting.
The TNLA and allied forces launched the second phase of Operation 1027 on June 25, capturing several towns, including Kyaukme, Mong Yaw, and Mong Mit. The Kokang forces also captured the Eastern Regional Command Headquarters in Lashio.
The junta’s recent airstrikes on towns controlled by TNLA, MNDAA, and AA have resulted in civilian casualties and significant property damage, leading the Brotherhood Alliance to call for international intervention to stop these attacks on non-conflict areas.
7. Military Convoy Attacked in Paungde Township
The Paungde District Battalion 3601 of the People’s Defense Force (PDF) attacked a military convoy transporting supplies to a junta camp in Paungde Township, Western Bago Region, on August 6.
The attack on the convoy, carrying 15 soldiers and supplies to the Thipoke Tower Camp, occurred at around 6 a.m. on August 6. The PDF used landmines and small arms fire, resulting in a 20-minute exchange of gunfire.
Reports indicate that the military suffered casualties, and one PDF soldier was injured.
In July, the PDF also attacked junta troops from the Thipoke Camp, killing one soldier.
