Several bomb blasts were reported in Yangon today. As early as 5:40am, a bomb exploded at a traffic police station in Dagon Township, destroying the outpost. Around 10:30am, downtown’s tourist attraction Bogyke Market saw a blast inside its compound, and then another blast was reported near Yangon International Airport around 10:45am. About the same time, two consecutive explosions took place near Hlegu Township’s electricity supply office. The second blast exploded when junta soldiers came to the scene for inspection; however, no injury was reported. A few days before, a spokesperson of Yangon Region People Defense Force (PDF) talked to DVB News that taking control of the city is its mission, and warned civilians to stay vigilant.
Elsewhere in the country, resistance fighters are hard at work as well. In Sagaing Region, a coalition of local defense forces detonated a military convoy with landmines, and then opened fire at the junta soldiers on Ayardaw-Monywa highway road yesterday evening. The ambush killed five and injured ten junta soldiers, Mizzima News reported. In Hakha, Chin State, the combined force of Chin National Army and Chinland Defense Force-Hakha launched an attack at the state police force around 6am yesterday, killing seven policemen with no casualty from the people’s side. Again in Mon State, Kyaikhto Township, Kyaikhto Resistance Force (KRF) ambushed the regime soldiers who were patrolling around MyTel mobile towers, killing six of them.
As the resistance forces are getting stronger all over the country, regime has been arresting civilians and sealing houses of NUG/CRPH members for providing assistance to PDF fighters. Today in Myeik City of Taninthayi Region, Mizzima News reported that the houses of U Myat Ko Ko, former municipal chairperson, and Daw Shin Htay, an NLD party member, were sealed on November 8 for “associating with PDF terrorist ground, hence, it would be nationalised.” Similarly in Ayeyarwaddy Region, seven houses in Yay Kyi Township were sealed between November 4 to 8 after a bomb blasted in the township.
On the other hand, the regime forces have not slowed down to harass civilians. News came from Depayin Township, Sagaing Region that regime soldiers, travelled by choppers, set fire to Wun Yan, Kone Yoe and Tat Te (West) villages on November 9. Villagers from more than 400 households in three villages have fled from their homes due to the arson attack. Previously, the junta’s forces conducted “clearance operation” in Katha, Kawlin and Kantbalu districts of Sagaing Region, and now in Depayin Township. Since military convoys are frequently attacked by PDFs, the regime is now using airforce to send troops and reinforcements.
Breaking news came from another part of Sagaing Region this afternoon. Locals from Shin Myaung area, near Kani Township reported that regime forces launched airstrikes with military choppers at the villagers since 2pm. According to Khit Thit media’s report, the regime used heavy artillery, machine guns, as well as bombs, told by a local villager. The attack was severe, details of the casualties is yet to be known.
In addition to attacks at the civilians, the regime continued to attack journalism. Today, US journalist Danny Fenster faced two additional charges of sedition and terrorism according to Myanmar Now media. Prior, he was charged with incitement and violation of immigration law, but this new serious charge could keep him behind bars for 20 years. Fenster’s lawyer said that the final verdict for the case will be made on November 15 after detaining him for more than five months. The US State Department called for release of Danny Fenster but the regime’s spokesperson General Zaw Min Tun said, in September, that it was necessary to keep him under detention.
Meanwhile, Min Aung Hlaing’s little brain is plotting to avoid foreign interference. In the meeting of State Administration Council (SAC) on November 9, Min Aung Hlaing said that, “Anti-Foreign Interference” bill is now being drafted by justice department, and will be passed. The SAC members also discussed that bilateral relations should be enhanced with ASEAN member states that sympathised Myanmar’s situation, as well as, Myanmar-China relations. We remember how Min Aung Hlaing’s deputy Soe Win told Ms Christine Burgener that they will learn to walk with only few friends in early months of the coup. Now that only few friends left for the SAC, new “anti-foreign interference” bill only took us down to the memory lane of isolated Burma, and it was awful. That’s why we must win this revolution.
