As the revolution escalates, regime’s attack on the youth continues. Last night in Sein Pan neighbourhood, Mandalay city, eight young people were detained by SAC soldiers. Prior to the arrest, youths from the neighbourhood quarrelled with a local social welfare group as the group accused young people of throwing grenades which damaged the group’s car and injured some members. The detained young people denied the accusation but only two were released this morning, while the rest remained detained. On September 21, we reported about two students from Dawei who were abducted by the regime. Due to the tortures, one of the students Ma Soe Mi Mi Kyaw attempted suicide by drinking surgical spirit she brought in with her. However, the attempt was not a success and she is now in military hospital.
The regime’s interrogation centers are notorious for inhumane tortures, and many people die in the custody. Yet another death in custody happened in Kalay town, Sagaing Region. On September 14, a 40-year-old U Kyaw Min Oo, owner of a welding and lathing workshop, was taken by junta soldiers, accusing him of making muskets. On September 18, his family was informed about his death and that the body was already cremated. A close friend of U Kyaw Min Oo said that he never did any sort of weapon at his workshop, and assumed that the extreme torture might have caused the death. U Kyaw Min Oo is survived by his wife, and two children; a five-year-old and a twelve-year-old.
In addition to youth, junta soldiers now target small business owners like U Kyaw Min Oo. In Kyaikhto township, Mon State, Daw Tin Mar Lwin, Taungsu ward administrator, and four other local business owners were abducted by junta soldiers yesterday morning. The detainees include two jewellery store owners, one electronics store owner, and one mobile gadget store owner. According to Khit Thit Media, regime soldiers said that they needed to question these people when they arrested them, and so far, none of them was released yet.
Interesting news came from Mandalay today. A soldier named Sein Than who was guarding at an outpost in Pyigyi Takhon township committed suicide by shooting himself in the head this morning according to Khit Thit media. Incidents like this such as soldiers committing suicide or shooting at each other show that lower rank soldiers are exhausted, let alone, fighting for the full blown warfare, and that Min Aung Hlaing’s army is starting to crack from within.
But we shouldn’t get our hopes up because majority of the infantry soldiers continue to follow orders from the generals, committing crimes against humanity. This month, Sagaing Region has been brutally cracked down by the regime since local People Defense Forces (PDFs) launches frequent attacks. This morning around 9am, regime soldiers raided Kyi Kone village in Taze township, setting fire on civilians’ homes according to DVB News. A local villager said that this was a retaliation since a shootout took place last night at the house of Ye Myint who was a member of Pyu Saw Htee pro-military thug group in the village. The details are yet to be reported.
In other news, local resistance forces are busy attacking the regime forces. In another part of Sagaing Region, the combined forces of a local guerrilla force and Chaung-U PDF detonated two military trucks this morning around 8am in Monywa township according to DVB News. Nine explosions blasted and at least six regime soldiers could die due to the blast, a member of the combined force said. Yesterday in Pinlebu township, Sagaing Region, the combined forces of Pinlebu, Wuntho and Kawlin PDFs clashed against the junta soldiers on Muu River bridge around 4pm according to the 74 Media. The battle lasted about four hours and several regime soldiers, including a captain, died, a local said. Many weapons left by junta soldiers are now taken by PDFs.
Following up on conflicts in ethnic areas, a clash broke out between Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and regime forces in Kyar Inn Seikkyi township yesterday. According to KNU’s Doo Palaya District Information team, about 70 fully armed soldiers, led by Major Aung Naing Lin, entered Waw Mar village and confronted with KNLA forces, resulting in one dead and two injured from the regime side while no casualty from KNLA reported.
In Chin State, Mindat town suffered indiscriminate shooting by the regime soldiers last night around 7pm. About 20 civilians homes were hit with heavy artillery shelling according to the 74 Media. A local said that places of worship were also destroyed during an hour long shooting spree by junta soldiers. The military regime has been launching severe attacks in Chin State in the past week, and the latest news reported by Chindwin News Agency this evening confirmed that internet access has been shut down in Thantlang, Tedim, Mindat, Falam, Matupi and Kanpalet towns of Chin State. We will keep Chin State in our prayers tonight.
Amidst all the clashes, bomb blasts and arrests, people of Myanmar are still marching on the streets and showing their rejection against the military regime. Today, protests were observed in several towns in Sagaing Region, different rallies in Mandalay city, marching strikes in Launglon township of Taninthayi Region to name a few. Meanwhile, Min Aung Hlaing’s lackeys in judiciary charged the detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, her cabinet members U Kyaw Win, U Soe Win, U Set Aung, and economics advisor Mr. Sean Turnell with Official Secrets Act and held a court hearing today. Min Aung Hlaing hasn’t given up on twisting and manipulating truths, but the true color of him and his army is no longer a secret anymore. The entire world knows their crimes.
