The military council’s increased airstrikes have borne witness to the fact that the ground military columns become weaker, with the resistance war of the Spring Revolution gaining momentum.
During the period from 1 February, 2021 to 25 January, 2023, the military council carried out airstrikes on civilian targets and the territories controlled by the People’s Defense Force (PDF), Local Defense Forces (LDF) and the Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs), for 257 days, according to the record of the BNI-Myanmar Peace Monitor. The total number of airstrikes may be higher than that as our BNI-MMP records airstrikes in the townships by day. According to the findings, the military council conducted at least three to five airstrikes per day.
Villages, schools and refugee camps stood first on the list of the military council’s targeted airstrikes, followed by the frontlines where the PDFs and LDFs are active and the EROs-controlled areas.
The military council conducted targeted airstrikes on territories controlled by ninth EROs which joined the Spring Revolution during the coup period, namely the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA), the Kachin Independence Organization/Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA), the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)-Kokang, the Chin National Front/Chin National Army (CNF/CNA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Northern Alliance-Burma (NA-B), the Karenni National Progressive Party/Karenni Army (KNPP/KA), All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). The military council conducted targeted airstrikes on eight EROs for more than 100 days with the KNU/KNLA and the KIO/KIA experiencing the airstrikes the most.
Taking a look at the airstrikes by years and months, May and December in 2021 saw the highest number of airstrikes. In 2022, the military council conducted airstrikes the most in November, followed by January and February. Comparing the regions and states, Karen State where the KNU-controlled territories are located, recorded the highest number of airstrikes, with 73 days.
The National Unity Government (NUG) announced 2023 as the decisive year of the Spring Revolution. The EROs, the PDFs, the LDFs and the NUG, which are the major pillars of the Spring Revolution, are working to speed up the resistance war by increasing their cooperation. At the same time, the military council has stepped up its airstrikes.
Script and Infographic by BNI – MPM Team
BNI-MPM