Myanmar’s young students have a long history of shaping the country’s history and military regimes; previous and current, know the influence of these younglings very well. Thus, Min Aung Hlaing’s regime targets youths since the beginning of the coup, and more arrests of students and young people were reported frequently these days. Ma Aye Nandar Soe, chairperson of Sagaing Education University Students Union, was detained in the evening of September 18 when she was on her way home from Mandalay. Since then, her whereabout is unknown. In Yangon, seven youth activists and students union members were detained on September 19. In Dawei township, Taninthayi Region, Ko Soe Pyae Aung and Ma Soe Mi Mi Kyaw were abducted in the afternoon of September 20. Regime soldiers forced two detained students to reveal their friends who took part in protests.
Despite the arrests and tortures, students continue to take part in this revolution: some in the protests and some take up arms. On September 15, it was announced that Students Armed Force (SAF) has been formed and the first batch of military training was completed on April 27, under the supervision of an ethnic armed group. The SAF vows to protect and support the oppressed people, and to fight for the building of a new nation. In the aftermath of 8888 Uprising, young students took up arms to fight against the previous regime. History is repeating itself. We wish this is the last time our young students chose to leave classrooms and fight the murderous regime.
We previously reported that military-owned MyTel mobile towers were detonated by various resistance forces all over the country. Last night, Bago Liberation Army (BLA) dynamited a MyTel tower around 10pm and claimed the responsibility. In Kyaukme town, Northern Shan State, two MyTel towers were blasted, causing breakdown of MyTel internet in the area. So far, no group claimed the responsibility. In Thongwa township, Yangon Region, Thongwa Youth Force (TYF) destroyed a MyTel tower last night. Mizzima News reported that more than 100 MyTel towers were destroyed in the past few weeks. To prevent from further attacks, a local witness saw regime soldiers planting landmines near MyTel towers in Myaing Township, Magway Region today. The locals warned one another to avoid going near the towers but they worried for livestocks walking around the towers as they are unaware of deadly weapons.
Moving to ethnic areas, Karen National Union (KNU) announced that KNLA Brigade 3 and regime forces clashed for two times in Kyauk Gyi township on September 20, injuring 20 soldiers from the regime side. Again in Thaton township, KNLA forces detonated the combined force of Border Guard Force (BGF) and the regime soldiers last night, killing three soldiers from the regime side. As a retaliation, the regime’s forces launched indiscriminate shooting around 7am today, killing four livestock buffalos owned by a villager.
Following the news from Chin State, about 20,000 people from Hakha and Thantlang towns have fled from their homes on September 20 as the regime continues to launch heavy artillery shelling to the small towns. DVB News reported that while many people take refuge in nearby villages, some travel and cross to India border. Chin Baptist Church chairperson said that the people were still in terror and the church planned to help the people on the run. In another part of Chin State, Chinland Defense Force-Mindat (CDF-Mindat) operated guerrilla attack at the regime’s forces, killing two and injuring many from the junta side. CDF-Mindat announced that the attack was a revenge for destroying Hakha and Thantlang.
In Loikaw town, Karenni (Kayah) State, six bomb blasts were heard last night according to Khit Thit media. Two out of six explosions took place near the prison and police housing where approximately 200 regime soldiers resided. In another part of Karenni State, Demoso township saw a shootout between the junta forces and Karenni resistance forces today. The clash took place near Six mile village around 3pm, and injuries were yet to be reported.
At the border of Kachin State and Sagaing Region, the combined forces of National Unity Government (NUG)’s Katha District PDF Battalion 1 and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) launched an attack at the regime’s forces on September 20, injuring about 40 regime soldiers according to the NUG. However, KIA’s spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu could not confirm the exact number of injury. While the NUG updated daily news of the clashes, Katha PDF said it requested NUG to not post the updates too soon for the safety of their fighters.
Although the regime forces are militarily confronted in multiple warfronts, they still manage to harass and kill civilians. Last night in Shaw Phyu village, Nahtogyi township, Mandalay Region, the regime soldiers who were stationed in the village operated a shooting spree, killing five and injuring two villagers. The deceased included a two-year-old child Maung Zwe Htet Maw, and the reason of the shooting was unknown.
Nearly nine months since Min Aung Hlaing staged the coup, people of Myanmar have not stopped marching down the streets to reject his military regime. While guerrilla protests were staged in Yangon, the people of Mandalay continued to rally in the streets. More protests were observed in Hpakant township, Kachin State, Sarlingyi, Kalay, Yinmabin, Monywa, townships in Sagaing Region, Myaing township in Magway Region, Laungon township in Taninthayi Region to name a few. The everyday protests keep the revolution spirit ignited among the people.
