As the military council continues to lose town after town, the phrase “Sold Out” has become a popular slang term among social media users in Myanmar. Whenever the junta faces such losses, it usually reacts with a flurry of attacks, launching airstrikes indiscriminately, regardless of time or place. So, civilians are fleeing from rural areas to urban areas, then from urban areas to cities and finally from cities back to the villages. On 8 August, hundreds of vehicles were seen on the Pyin Oo Lwin-Mandalay highway rushing to safety due to rumors of an imminent attack by resistance forces on Pyin Oo Lwin.
Burma News International-Myanmar Peace Monitor’s bi-weekly news review for this week focuses on town captures, threats of junta’s airstrike and alarmed civilians, based on the data and events.
Town captures.
According to BNI-MPM records, till 7 August 2024, the resistance forces have captured up to 76 towns from the military council since the coup. Since July 2021, the country has witnessed the capture of numerous towns by resistance forces. Since the start of Operation 1027, town captures have become more frequent. Of the 76 towns captured so far, 47 were taken in 2024.
Since early 2023, the resistance forces have taken at least one town from the military council each month. With the second wave of Operation 1027, which began on 25 June 2024, resistance forces consecutively captured Nawnghkio, Mongmit, Lashio and Kyaukme in northern Shan State as well as Singu, Mogok and Tagaung in Mandalay Region 1 during their military operations targeting the urban area. In addition, local resistance forces captured Matupi in Chin State and Thandwe and Kyeintali in Arakan State.
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