Last night, we heard the news that the regime’s soldiers arrested the venerable monk Maydarnanda in Myaungmya township, Ayeyarwaddy Region. On the morning of October 8, 40 soldiers raided into the monastery with two military convoys and three police cars. A local from Myaungmya township told Mizzima News that the junta’s forces arrested Sayardaw with the suspicion of communicating with National Unity Government (NUG). He further added that U Maydarnanda is a respectable monk in the community and is an organizer of interfaith peace network. A day before arresting U Maydarnanda, the regime forces detained Ko Kyaw Swar Tun, a local volunteer, in Myaungmya township too.
In the central part of Myanmar, people in Mandalay reported that regime soldiers shot randomly in the city after a bomb exploded at the house of a ward administrator last night. A news source confirmed to Mizzima News that the regime’s forces continued shooting near 62nd street, and also questioned the locals passing by the area. Some unfortunate persons have been beaten up during the interrogation. However, regime forces’s evil action is avenged by an unknown armed force in Mogok, Mandalay Region. According to Mogok Spring Revolution Ground Reporting Group, resistance forces conducted an ambush against regime soldiers who returned from Than Lwin Taung liquor shop near Lel Oo primary school around 3pm in Mogok. Multiple gunshots were heard during the accident, and a rumor spread that some military personnel was injured.
The Irrawaddy News reported that a family of four passed away this morning at 9am in Hpa An Township, Kayin State while taking out their properties from the bomb shelter. Some said that they suffered shortage of oxygen in the shelter whereas others argued that they died from the excessive exposure and smelling of mosquito repellent sprays in their narrow dugout. In the southern part of Myanmar, Pyu Saw Htee raided Sawphyar village in Thayetchaung Township, Taninthargyi State to arrest an activist called Ko Nipon. As they weren’t able to locate him, they kidnapped his wife and two children, aged two and six, as hostages, according to Khit Thit Media Moreover, Pyu Saw Htee members also robbed phones from each home and arresting any person in connection with resistance forces.
In the afternoon, State Administration Council (SAC) released a statement that 220 guns and bombs they captured on October 5 in Mandalay belonged to Kachin Independence Army (KIA). According to SAC, they seized these weapons inside a fuel tank truck near Denko gas station in Amarapura township, Mandalay. They further accused that KIA was planning to deliver these artilleries to Rakhine State. Many people do not believe the news entirely since the junta is known for spreading fake news as a tool for propaganda in order to blacken the image of ethnic armed groups.
Despite regime’s desperate attempts to gain positive image internationally, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is aware of the atrocity that military regime has committed over the past few weeks in Kanpetlet and Hakha townships in Chin State, Kani and Monywa townships in the central Sagaing region, and Gangaw township from Magway. The spokesperson for UN Ravina Shamdasani released a statement that intensifying attacks, such as killings, raidings of villages, and burning of houses, have been made against the innocent civilians, and internet has been cut off in these areas. The statement called for the influential states in international ground to prevent the regime from committing further serious human rights violations against Myanmar people.
UN’s efforts for the junta to discontinue the arbitrary arrests and killings of innocent citizens through the statement was paid very little attention by the regime forces in Myanmar. In Taungoo Township, Bago Region, the junta’s army arrested U San Kyi, a patron of Shwesandaw Pagoda Committee, at 10:30 pm last night. About thirty minutes later, his death body was transferred to the morgue according to Taungoo locals and sources closed to the deceased. Khit Thit Media reported that right after arresting U San Kyi, the regime soldiers tortured him on the car. Similarly, an NLD supporter U Thein Zaw from Mattaya Township, Mandalay was also arrested and murdered by the junta’s soldiers on October 6. A teacher by profession, U Thein Zaw was arrested at Mattaya checkpoint gate in the evening of October 6, and his dead body was found on the northern side of La Mine village.
This morning, four PDF groups jointly attacked Kyauk Yit police station in Myaung township, Sagaing region. While attacking the station, a backup force of junta was sent from Chaung Oo, but PDF successfully detonated a mine on the way, and two military convoys were damaged, resulting in casualties of military’s army. Though the exact number of deaths is unknown, SAC’s forces came and collected the dead bodies at Ma Gyi Bote and Kyauk Yit this afternoon. In Hpa Pon Township, Karen State, a ward administrator appointed by SAC was shot to death in the morning by two unknown persons. According to Khit Thit Media, Than Aung was appointed as Ward 3 Administrator after the coup, and SAC removed previous administrator for being a NLD supporter. People’s Defense Forces (PDF) are also organizing attacks against the junta’s forces in Bago, Magway and Sagaing Regions. Another encouraging news come from Karenni Army that a battalion 71 has officially graduated this morning, and graduation ceremony photos flooded in the social media.
As usual, protests were observed in many parts of the country. Brave protesters in several townships/villages of Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Taninthayi Region and Yangon Region are still taking on the streets and rejecting the military regime.
