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“I would like to call on the international community to help us in order that the military cannot carry out the vindictive destruction of villages and suspicious arrests of villagers whenever there are encounters with the People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).”

This is an excerpt from an interview with a PDF member from Pinlebu Township in Sagaing Region. A total of 1,200 soldiers of the military council are stationed in 12 villages in Pinlebu Township after internet and mobile access has been cut off. More than 20,000 locals fled to safer places as the military council carried out airstrikes three times in Pinlebu Township in the last week of September.

This week ( 15_22,Oct) , the Myanmar Peace Monitor‘s weekly review mainly focused on military situations based on Sagaing Region.

Findings

The military council is carrying out the destruction of villages, shots and arrests of locals for no apparent reason, mass killings, the use of detained civilians as human shields, the use of excessive forces in the fighting and the excessive use of heavy weapons and attacks with the use of military planes in the regions and states where the people are waging resistance wars against the military council. This situation has put the military council in a helpless state.

According to the collected information, there were 76 encounters between the military council’s troops and local defence forces in region, states and townships in September. Sagaing Region saw the highest number of fighting, followed by Magway Region and Chin State. There occurs resistance wars against the military council’s troops in Karenni State, Mandalay Region, southern Shan State, Tanintharyi Region, Karen State, Yangon Region, Bago Region and Ayeyawady Region.

According to the statement by the National Unity Government (NUG), Sagaing Region topped the list of conflicts across the country in September, with 184 encounters. There were 123 encounters in Yangon Region, 95 in Mandalay Region, 51 in Magway Region, 36 in Chin State, 33 in Shan State, 32 in Karenni State and more than 20 each in Kachin, Karen, Mon, Tanintharyi and Ayeyawady and 19 in Bago. There were no reports of fighting in Arakan State.

According to these facts and data, Sagaing Region, Magway Region and Chin State in the north-west of Myanmar become a focus of attention for the military council. The military council shall assume that these areas may cause a danger for military units, battalions and informants at any time. There occurs the destruction of and attacks on its pillars after the declaration of a nationwide revolt by the NUG which is regarded by the coup leaders as “the government in the air”. The military council itself shall know to what extent it faces losses.

The military council is carrying out the destruction of villages, shots and arrests of locals for no apparent reason, mass killings, the use of detained civilians as human shields, the use of excessive forces in the fighting and the excessive use of heavy weapons and attacks with the use of military planes in the regions and states where the people are waging resistance wars against the military council. This situation has put the military council in a helpless state.

Activities of the military council’s troops and the public’s resistance war

The Chin National Front announced on October 13th calling on the people to avoid travelling apart from a matter of life and death as the military council’s troops arrest and use travellers as human shields along Falam-Reed and Falam-Hakha Road.

Since September 12th, locals noticed the military council’s troops which are stationed in Kani Township after carrying weapons and armoured tanks through Chindwin River. It is also found that the military council has increased deployments of troops to Kani, Monywa and Minkin Townships.

According to the new findings in the first week of October, the military council assigned duties to Deputy Home Affairs Minister Lt-Gen Than Hlaing and Lt-Gen Tay Za Kyaw, Chief of Bureau of Special Operation-1, to carry out offensive operations against local PDFs in Magway Region, Chin State and Sagaing Region, by a merger of four battalions with around 3,000 members. The military council still denied the news that Brig-Gen Phyo Thant, Commander of the North-West Command based in Monywa of Sagaing Region.

The military council has increased the deployments of troops in Sagaing Region and Chin State. On the morning of October 12th, a military convoy of 86 military vehicles including three armoured tanks was heading to Kanpetlet in Chin State from Pakokku, Magway Region. The military council has deployed this troop in the Kyaukhtu airfield in Yaw of Sagaing Region, according to local news agencies.

On October 8th, more than 40 military vehicles including two armoured tanks arrived in Kalay via Gangaw of Magway Region. On October 9th, two armoured tanks and 14 military vehicles headed to Teedim. The remaining vehicles proceeded to the upper Chin State on October 11st.  On the evening of October 10th, the military council evacuated nearly 30 family members of soldiers from Kalay by flight.

On October 11st, ChaungU PDF ambushed a military convoy near Hmancho village on ChaungU-Pakokku Road in ChaungU Township in Sagaing Region. Yesagyo PDF announced that it carried out attacks on a light infantry battalion in Phulone village in Yesagyo Township in Magway Region with three rocket launchers. On August 31st, ten PDFs based in Yesagyo, Sagaing, Shwebo, Monywa, ChaungU, Myaung, Ayardaw, Mawlike, Myingyan and Myinmu Townships in Magway and Sagaing Regions agreed to form an alliance during the revolution.

The military council is preparing for an offensive in Chin State which shares a border with Sagaing and Magway Regions. A military column marched to Mindat and Matupi in southern Chin State via Pakokku-Pauk-Kyaukhtoo road in Magway Region while a military column marched to Falam and Hakha in northern Chin State via Kalay-Tamu in Sagaing Region. On October 13rd, a military convoy of more than 35 military trucks including two armoured tanks was ambushed on the way to Hakha through Falam. More than half of military vehicles were destroyed in the ambush attack, according to Pu Htet Ni, Spokesperson of the Chin National Front (CNF).

On October 16th, a military column was ambushed near Talanyaw village in Falam Township. At least four soldiers were killed and around 15 others injured in the ambush attack. Seven military vehicles were destroyed. On October 17th, the CNF destroyed nine military vehicles near Tar village about three miles from the incident.

The Chin National Front announced on October 13th calling on the people to avoid travelling apart from a matter of life and death as the military council’s troops arrest and use travellers as human shields along Falam-Reed and Falam-Hakha Road.

Pu Htet Ni from the Chin National Front (CNF) said: “Now the whole country has become the revolution area. The military council creates it.”

There are intense fighting between local PDFs and the military council’s troops in Kawlin, Wontho, Indaw, Htigyaing, Katha, Pinlebu and Banmauk Townships in northern Sagaing Region which shares a border with Kachin State. Since September 23rd, the military council has cut off internet and mobile access in Ayardaw, Kani, Pale, YayU, Butalin, Tanze, Wontho, Kawlin and Pinlebu Townships.

Review

 It is assumed that local PDFs can carry out counter-offensive against the military council’s troops through better organized means. The National Unity Government (NUG) which declared a nationwide revolt may seek ways to support local PDFs.

Local and foreign military observers reviewed that the military council’s deployments of light infantry battalions, heavy machineries, armoured tanks and artillery units are aimed at carrying out offensives in Chin State, Magway Region and Kachin State adjacent to Sagaing Region. The military operating areas are wide. The military council may find it difficult to control every area in the long-term as it has to extend the logistics distribution path whenever the military columns march to different areas.

Since the coup, the military council’s troops have been committing atrocities such as violence, opporession, arrests and killings across the country. The coup leader and his followers shall not hesitate to commit any kind of heinousness to retain its power. We can know it just by looking at the daily events during the military coup.

At around 5 am on October 17th, around 30 soldiers raided a temporary PDF camp in Sadaung in Sagaing Region using vehicles owned by social organizations and motorbikes. Two PDF members were killed in the encounter and one arrested.

It is assumed that the people may again experience similar atrocities as the military council is preparing for an offensive.

We all have experienced the military council’s cutting off internet and mobile phone access, cutting the transport of rations and flow of money, information, and communication and the arson attacks on villages. Those who defy the military council and its followers, especially the people in Sagaing Region, Magway Region and Chin State need to be cautious about it.

It is assumed that local PDFs can carry out counter-offensive against the military council’s troops through better organized means. The National Unity Government (NUG) which declared a nationwide revolt may seek ways to support local PDFs.

Showing opposition to the military council which has won no support, with arms and without arms would amount to instigating their fears. We have found out a word which is suitable for the military council’s soldiers who are afraid of sticks, knives and catapults.

“The military council’s troops see enemy areas when they get out of the military unit. They may encounter attacks at any time. They don’t dare to go outside with a clear conscience as they have not won the public’s support.”

Part-II

What happened in the week?

 Chin State

Fighting took place between the military council’s troops and a combined force of the Chin National Army (CNA) and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), outside Chunkyone village near Hakha, killing four soldiers of the military council and injuring many soldiers.

Pu Htet Ni from the Chin National Front (CNF) told the Mizzima News that women and children were included in the military council’s troops which entered Hakha. It is assumed that the military took the family members of soldiers as hostage to control soldiers.

At around 5 am on October 19th, the PDF attacked Mindat Township General Administration Office with bombs and the military council’s troops stationed at Township Fire Service Department Office. Two soldiers of the military council were killed and four injured in the attacks, according to the Chinland Defence Force (CDF)-Mindat on October 21st.

The military council’s troops torched and destroyed houses and churches in villages along the road from Falam to Hakha and despoiled properties. On the evening of October 14th, the military council’s troops torched Talanyaw village on Falam-Hakha Road in Falam Township. A total of 12 houses including the wards in the church were burnt down.

Arakan State

The military council dropped the charges against 55 of 61 people who were charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law and accused of having connection with the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army ( (ULA/AA) and released them on the evening of October 15th, according to the Narinjara News. A lower House MP of the Gaw Township NLD, a ward administrator and a supporter, who were sentenced for their involvement in the anti-coup protests, were freed on the evening of October 18th.

On the afternoon of October 15th, the police arrested youth writer Ko Min Depar from Panmaw village in MraukU Township by accusing him of having a connection with the People’s Defence Force (PDF). On October 9th, social activist Ko Chit Sein from Thandaw Township was arrested and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law.

 Shan State

The military council’s troops carried out an offensive against the Brigade-6 under Battalion-9 of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Shan State. Since 9.30 am on October 18th, fighting intensified between the military council’s troops and the KIA at Yaypusan-Hsainghaw mountain, according to the KNG. There was intense fighting between the military council’s troops and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) (kokang) at Sutaung mountain in Phaunghsaing of Mongkoe Region, according to a local from Phaunghsaing.

Fighting intensified as the military council’s troops carried out offensive attacks on the MNDAA’s outpost on Sutaung mountain in Phaunghsaing of Mongkoe Township since October 16th. On the evening of October 17th, the continuous sounds of gunfire were heard near Mongkoe, according to the KNG. Since the afternoon of October 16th, there was fighting between the military council’s troops and the KIA on Mankan mountain in Teema village where the KIA’s Battalion-9 in Muse Township is located. At around 10 am on October 16th, the KIA carried out a mine attack on the military council’s troops in Mansi Township in Kachin State where the KIA’s Battalion-27 is located.

On October 17th, three civilians including a 62-year-old woman from Ward-5 in Panghseng were killed by artillery shells due to fighting between the military council’s troops and the MNDAA in Panghseng Sub-Township in northern Shan State. On the afternoon of October 19th, the MNDAA attacked Panghseng (Kyukoke) Police Station on the China-Myanmar border. There were encounters between the military council’s troops and the MNDAA, according to the KNG.

The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) forced locals to do work in the villages near river and creek in Hsipaw Township and did not pay money to them, according to the Shan Herald News Agency. The RCSS attended the 6th anniversary of the NCA signing ceremony organized by the military council.

 Karenni (Kayah) State

There were 91 encounters in Karenni State since the coup till October 15th, killing 325 soldiers of the military council, 30 members of the Karenni combined force and 94 civilians, according to a statement by the Progressive Karenni People’s Force (PKPF). According to the statement, three civilians were killed in April, 24 in May, 36 in June, four in July, 19 in September and seven in October.

Fighting between the military council’s troops and a combined force of the Karenni Army (KA) and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), killed 118 soldiers in May, 32 in June, 22 in July, 94 in August, 74 in September and 12 in October. According to the Kantarawaddy Times, No.1 Battalion under the KNDF is providing health care at the IDPs camps in Demawsoe Township. Military medical staff from No.3 Company under the Battalion-2 of the KNDF are undergoing healthcare training.

Fighting between the military council’s troops and a combined force of the Karenni Army (KA) and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), killed 118 soldiers in May, 32 in June, 22 in July, 94 in August, 74 in September and 12 in October.

Kachin State

On the evening of October 20th, an unnamed group arrested a sergeant from the vice squad and his brother-in-law in Moemauk Township, according to the KNG. Moemauk Township is located at the junction of KIA headquarters Laiza and the road heading to Lwgel-Mongjaryan road. The KIA carried out a mine attack on the military column. At around 10 am on October 16th, the KIA carried out a mine attack on the military council’s troops at the KIA’s Battalion-27 in Mansi Township in Kachin State.

 South-East (Mon, Kayin and Tanintaryi)

On the evening of October 17th, the Battalion-3 of the Karen National Union/ Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) attacked a vehicle carrying the plainclothes soldiers of the military council near Zalone village in Theinzayat Township in Mon State.  Six soldiers including a second lieutenant from No.598 Light Infantry Battalion were killed in the attacks.

The Brigade-1 of the KNLA attacked the military council’s troops in Kyaikto and Belin Townships on October 15th. Attack killed three soldiers of the military council and injured two others, according to the Than Lwin Times. On the early morning of October 15th, the KNLA’s Brigade-1 attacked a combined force of the military council’s troops which are stationed in the compound of monastery in Myitkyo village in Belin Township and the Border Guard Force (BGF).

The South-East Command recruits the veterans aged over 50 with a quota of 10 people from each township for security services at the inspection gates in Mon State, according to the Than Lwin Times.

The KNU, which has signed the NCA, issued a statement on the 6th anniversary of the NCA saying that the Tatmadaw should declare its withdrawal from politics. It is found that the KNU did not attend the 6th anniversary of the NCA signing organized by the military council.

On October 16th, fighting continued between a Karen combined force and the military council’s troops in Antkalaw village in Kawkareik Township in Karen State. One soldier of the military council was killed in the fighting. There were encounters between a Karen combined force and the military column with around 60 which were heading to Antkalaw village from Kawnwe village on Asia road, according to the KIC.

On October 17th, LIB-556 and 560 of the military council’s troops arrested a local cow boy from Ywathit village to be used as a guide while they were heading to Ywathit village from Myohaung village.

At around 12 noon on October 20th, the KNLA attacked the invading miliatry council’s troops in Taungswun village in Kyarinseikgyi Township. Six soldiers of the military council were killed in the attack.

On the evening of October 15th, bomb blasts occurred at the Pulaw Township Hall and No.4 Ward Administrator Office in Pulaw Township in Tanintharyi Region. Pulaw Township PDF issued a statement that bomb blasts were the warnings for the military council’s troops.

On October 14th, an officer was injured in a car bomb attack in front of the military intelligence office near the Aryu-Katoeseik junction in Chaungnge ward in Tanintaryi of Myeik District, according to the NMG.

At around 2 am on October 21st, a bomb blast occured at the NLD Region Office (headquarters) in Kayatpyin ward in Dawei Township. On the morning of October 20th, bomb blasts occurred at the NLD District and Township Office in front of the Traditional Medicine Hospital at the corner of Yaygabar road in Yaypone ward in Myeik Township. The office’s wall and glasses were damaged by the bomb blast, according to the Than Lwin Times.

 The KNU, which has signed the NCA, issued a statement on the 6th anniversary of the NCA saying that the Tatmadaw should declare its withdrawal from politics.

 Upper Myanmar (Mandalay, Magway and Sagaing)

At around 8 am on October 14th, Yangon-Mandalay railroad section between Milepost No.371/23 and Milepost No.371/24 was blown up in Sesone village-tract in Sintgaing Township in Mandalay Region. At around 7 am on October 14th, at least ten soldiers of the military council were killed in an explosion at the railroad at the exit of Palake in Kyaukse District, according to locals. The explosion occurred at Yangon-Mandalay Railroad section between Palake and Saeywah village-tract. The second mine explosion killed the soldiers when the military council’s troops rushed to the incident to check the first mine explosion, according to the Mizzima News.

An unnamed group of 30 people destroyed the statue of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Kantetkone Masoyein monastery in Mahaaungmye Township in Mandalay, at around 4 am on October 14th.

Plainclothes soldiers carried out a brutal crackdown on the youth protest column in Mandalay. The military council’s troops beat and arrested at least 20 people, according to a person who joined the protest column.

At around 8 am on October 18^th, the plainclothes soldiers hit the peaceful protesters between 69th street and 37^th X 38^th street in Mahaaungmye Township in Mandalay Region, by civilian cars, according to the Mizzima News. A captain and other ranks beat up a drunken lieutenant corporal and hid the dead body at Magway Air Force Ground Training Base. Plan is under way to form a military court martial in order to take action against those involved in the case.

A bomb exploded at the Road Transport Administration Department in Monywa in Sagaing Region at around 4 am on October 18th. The PDF carried out a bomb attack on the police outpost in Nabetgyi village on October 18th and Kanhtooma police outpost in Tanze Township on October 16th. Htigyaing PDF carried out mine attacks in Maungkone village and Tagaung nickel plant and on a military convoy in Htigyaing Township at around 8 pm on October 17th.

On October 18th, Kawlin Township PDF said it seized three 12-wheeler trucks loaded with the beers produced by the Myanma Economic Holdings Ltd and related companies on the Shwebo-Myitkyina road section. The PDF freed the trucks and drivers and destroyed beers.

Local PDF in Htigyaing Township has issued a warning which bans the cars from using the road from 8 pm to 5 am. The local PDF carried out a mine attack on an oil browser at around 4 am on October 20th, according to the KNG.

Around 200 soldiers of the military council raided two local PDF camps near Taungletkanyin village in Ayardaw Township. The military council’s troops arrested at least five civilians in the raid, according to the KNG. At night on October 20th, the military council’s troops torched five houses including a house owned by the former village administrator in Thitkyingyi village in Ayardaw Township and arrested a villager for no apparent reason.

On the evening of October 21st, at least five soldiers of the military council were killed in an attack on a military convoy near Letpan village in Banbway village-tract in Yinmarbin Township.

Kawlin Township PDF said it seized three 12-wheeler trucks loaded with the beers produced by the Myanma Economic Holdings Ltd and related companies on the Shwebo-Myitkyina road section. The PDF freed the trucks and drivers and destroyed beers.

Lower Myanmar (Yangon, Bago and Ayeyawady)

The United Democratic Force (UDF) blew up the Mytel tower in Sabalgyi village in Kawhmu Township in Yangon Region at around 7 pm on October 17th, according to the Mizzima News. On October 6th, the UDF members fired shots at three PyuSawHtee members who serve as the military informants in Hmawtaw village in Kawhmu Township. Three PyuSawHtee members got injuries to their hands and legs in the attack.

The electricity staff accompanied by the ward administrators and plainclothes gunmen pressued the public to pay electricity bills and collected electricity bills door to door in Hlaingtharyar Township. There were bomb blasts at the electricity offices in 12 townships in Kamayut, Thingangyun, South Okkalapa, Hlaing, Yankin, Ahlone, Insein, South Dagon and North Dagon Townships on October 22nd, according to the Mizzima News.

On October 17th, the military council’s troops arrested more than 30 local youths after the military-owned Mytel tower was blown up in Pyapon Township in Ayeyawaddy Region. On the evening of October 15th, two bombs exploded at the corner of the staff quarter in the compound of Maubin Myoma Police Station, according to the NMG. At around 6.30 am on October 16th, the Delta Guerrilla Warfare Force carried out a bomb attack on a police outpost near Shwelaung bridge in Wakhema Township.

At around 8.30 pm on October 19th, bomb blasts occurred at the electricity office at the north stairway of Shwesandaw Pagoda and Sandaw ward administrator office in Pyay Township in the west of Bago Region. Fighting took place between the soldiers deployed at Mytel tower and the Paungde PDF in Thitpoke village-tract in Paungde Township, at around 2 am on October 20th, resulting in the casualties of soldiers from the military council, according to the NMG.

On October 14th, seven soldiers including a major from the military council were killed and five injured in the fighting between the Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO) and the military council’s troops in Kyaukgyi Township in Nyaunglebin District, according to a statement by the KNU on October 18th.

National Unity Government

• The NUG plans to end the revolution during the next six months.
• A report on the violations of women rights by the security forces of the military council during the conflict.
• situations in Chin and Karenni State was released.
• Myanmar Ambassador to the U.N. U Kyaw Moe Tun accepts the John McCain Freedom Award 2021.

Military Council

• The military council responds to the Asean that putting pressure on Myanmar would greatly affect the unity and centrality of the ASEAN.
• More than 100 people get rearrested after being freed from the prison
• The military-backed UEC plans to hold a talk on a shift to the PR system.
• The military is working to upload erroneous news and propagated posts on facebook.

  International                                                                   

Christine Schraner Burgener, the U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar called on the international community including the U.N. to take effective response to the Myanmar crisis before it is worse.

Singapore has the ability to wield its significant financial leverage over Myanmar’s military rulers to pressure them to return to a path of democracy amid a deteriorating humanitarian and economic crisis, Counselor of the U.S. State Department Derek Chollet said. Noting U.S. measures to sanction individuals and entities associated with Myanmar’s military rulers who seized power in the Feb. 1 coup, Chollet said Singapore also possessed leverage.

The coup leader said the military council had the right to attend the Asean summit although the ASEAN decided not to invite Military Chief Min Aung Hlaing to the upcoming Asean summit. The Asean said it would invite a non-political representative from Myanmar to the summit.