The news of defected soldiers and policemen came quite frequently these days. It was reported that police sergeant Win Min Than and Maung Than defected from their station in Yinmabin township, Sagaing region yesterday and this morning respectively. Unfortunately, Sergeant Win Min Than’s parents were taken by the regime’s forces around 1pm today. His wife and two children were also kept in the police station, not knowing that he had joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. Netizens also shared that four soldiers from an air force in Taungoo defected and fled to Karen National Union (KNU)’s area. The news is yet to be confirmed but we sincerely hope more and more members of regime’s armed forces switch to the good side.
It looks as if the military regime is committed to keep its soldiers busy with multiple warfronts so that they won’t defect. In Panghsan (Kyu Koke) area in Northern Shan State, the regime launched heavy artillery shelling around 1pm today. Since the beginning of August, junta’s forces had clashed with Kokang armed group MNDAA which resulted in displacement of local villagers. Locals from Rakhine State said that regime’s troop were deployed in Taungup township since August 17, and the locals were fleeing as they worried for imminent clashes. In Kayin State, clashes continued to break out between the regime’s forces and Karen National Union’s KNDO forces. In last night’s clash, the junta’s forces and its allies Border Guard Force (BGF) mistakenly attacked each other, resulting in the death of at least 23 soldiers from both side.
Less exciting news came from Yesagyo township, Magway Region today. Around 6am this morning, the regime’s forces raided an outpost where Yesagyo People Defense Forces camped out. Due to the excessive force from the junta side, Yesagyo PDFs had to flee from their post, leaving all their weapons behind according to their leader. None of the PDF member was arrested or killed at the incident, which was a relief somehow.
Nevertheless, the PDFs and guerrilla fighters elsewhere are hard at work. This afternoon, Pale PDFs in Sagaing Region detonated military trucks on Pale-Gangaw highway. Pale PDFs announced that at least 10 regime soldiers died at the incident. Around 1pm today, three consecutive bombs exploded near Military Textile Factory in Hlaing Township, Yangon. Some news reports also said the explosion took place inside the compound but no details or casualty was yet to be confirmed. Around 7pm this evening, a bomb exploded at MyTel office in Bago town, and as a retaliation, regime’s forces were shooting indiscriminately. The sound of machine guns were heard according to Bago locals.
Last night, the regime’s forces arrested three men in Taungdwingyi township, Magway Region according to DVB News. A close family friend told DVB that the reason for the arrest was unknown, and the families were worried sick for the detainees. In Athoke township, Ayeyarwaddy Region, five men who were close to NLD party were arrested by the regime in past two days. Two hardcore members, two ward-level party secretaries of NLD, and one other man were arrested on August 18 and 19. Locals said that the junta’s forces had tightened security and targeted NLD members’ houses after the assassination of notorious military informant on August 18. In Gantgaw township, Magway Region, NLD member U Myint Lwin was arrested by the regime’s forces as they raided Myauk Yan village last night. In the same incident, a 30-year-old man was shot and severely injured. He is now admitted to Gantgaw Hospital.
Despite the citywide lockdown measures, protesters from Mandalay took to the street with different marching strikes today. In Launglon township, Taninthayi Region, Dawei District marching strike was cracked down by the regime’s forces at its starting point this evening. The number of arrest is yet to be confirmed. Protest theme these days was a call for the UN to accept the National Unity Government as Myanmar’s legitimate government. Protesters from rural villages, guerrilla strikers in cities, CDM policemen in a liberated area in Chin State, Sangha strike in Mandalay all held protest banners in English which read “Accept NUG, Reject Military”. Nearly seven months into the coup, we no longer call for R2P or military intervention from the International community, but the UN to accept NUG as our representative.
This morning, National Unity Government test-ran the Radio NUG. People across the country quickly bought radios to listen to the Radio NUG. While the entire world has conquered the digital revolution, the people of Myanmar are forced back into the analog era in six months of the military regime. All the more reason for us to win this time for the sake of our future generation.
