The military has increased artillery shelling and airstrikes as it faces a declining ground fighting skill, according to revolutionary forces.
“The military council usually conducts the airstrikes when they suffer heavy casualties,” said an information officer of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF).
In 2022, there were more than 300 clashes with the military council in Karenni State. The military council conducted 153 times of airstrikes, according to the KNDF’s statement released on January 6.
“Airstrikes will continue as long as the international community cannot ban the supply of aviation fuel to Myanmar. The military council’s airstrikes aim to hide its weaknesses. The military council will continue using air power to threaten the public,” a military affairs analyst says.
“During two years of the revolution, revolutionary forces in Karenni State have got more military experience, and their unity and skills get promoted. They also get more weapons. The military council’s skills are declining,” said Khu Daniel, Deputy Defense Minister of the Karenni State government.
“It is obvious that the military council faces low strength and morale as it cannot carry out military operations,” he added
At present, the military has to rely on artillery shelling and jet fighters. Except for it, there is no big military operation on the ground.
The military council conducts airstrikes and carries out indiscriminate artillery shelling on the civilian targets and the places where the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) are taking shelter.
On December 20, 21 and 23 in 2022, the military council’s jet fighters were flying in the sky of some places in Karenni State without any clashes.
Intentional flying of military jet fighters aims to force locals to flee. It can be said that this is the crime against humanity, said U Ba Nyar, Director of the Karenni Human Rights Group.
“We have no any air defense system. However, what I want to say is the junta needs to stop ongoing war crimes. The international community is required to understand the fact that it is not a suitable thing. Only prevention and putting pressures can help us to prevent from airstrikes.”
The public on their part need to make necessary preparations for the prevention of airstrikes. They should build underground bunkers.
At 1 am on January 17, 2022, the jet fighter dropped bombs on Rekheebu IDP camp in the western part of Phruso Township. Two underage girls and a 52-year-old man were killed in the bombings.
On the morning of March 11, two civilians were killed in the military council’s bombardments in Dawyaukkhu village in Demawso Township. On the same day, one member of the Battalion-9 of the KNDF was killed in the military council’s bombardments.
On August 9, the military council fired heavy shells and conducted airstrikes in Dawparpar village in Teelon village-tract in the eastern part of Loikaw Township without any clashes. The shelling killed a patient from the village clinic and destroyed the clinic.
Such fighting will continue as the military council relies heavily on airstrikes and fails to abide by the military code of conducts, Khu Daniel continued.
“They don’t listen to the voices of the international community. The international organizations can take action against the military council according to the international law,” Khu Daniel added.
“We should take the example of north Vietnam who achieved successes thanks to underground revolutions although the US used many air forces during the Vietnam War. Revolutionary forces are in a position to endure the military council’s increased airstrikes as they always can do the movement of significant camps,” the military affairs analyst said.
According to the figures, the strength of Myanmar’s military is put at more than 400,000 soldiers. However, the number of soldiers on the ground has more than 200,000 only.
Sent by Naw Dway Eh Khu (Kantarawaddy Times)