Guerrilla attacks were observed in big cities such as Yangon and Mandalay. This afternoon around 12:30pm, Denko gas station in Thanlyin Township saw a bomb blast which was carried out by Thanlyin Underground Guerrilla Group and Bo Nagar Group. One of the members told Khit Thit Media that no one was injured from the blast. It was reported that Denko company has been providing gasoline and importing oil and gas for the regime. About the same time, another bomb blasted near Insein prison in Ywarma Ward of Insein Township, a source close to Insein prison confirmed Khit Thit Media. Around 5.20am this morning, (YG) Dark Shadow guerrilla force plotted an attack at a military security post near Hledan Flyover in Kamayut Township. However, the attack was cancelled since three private cars passed by the location. The resistance group warned the public to stay away from regime soldiers.
In Mandalay, a bomb blasted at KBZ Bank branch 40 on 62nd street this morning, damaging the bank and injuring one employee according to Khit Thit Media. Similarly, a telecommunication office on 62nd street saw an explosion yesterday. It was coordinated by YNO Mandalay PDF and Eagle Brothers Urban Guerrilla Force. Monywa Guerrilla Force announced that it launched 14 different attacks at the security posts, junta-administered offices, businesses which have ties with the military including MyTel mobile towers. The attacks were jointly carried out by Monywa based forces such as Monywa Nightking၊ Monywa Phoenix Warrior၊ Monywa Ninja and ACF Monywa.
Following updates on penalising the use of VPN, Mizzima News reported today that regime soldiers checked people’s digital gadgets whether they have VPN apps installed in Shwepyithar and North Okkalar townships of Yangon Region. A local from Shwepyithar Ward 15 told Mizzima that regime soldiers showed up at a house and demanded to inspect phones and laptops because they received information. This incident warns that the threat of dalan (informant) continue to loom. In North Okkalar Township, about 30 people were arrested around 4pm yesterday, and they were brought to a police station and fined, a local told Mizzima.
Today, junta’s court in Nyaung Shwe prison sentenced former Shan State Chief Minister Dr Lin Htut and Minister for Planning and Finance U Soe Nyunt Lwin for 16 years of imprisonment. The pair received four year jail time for four cases which rounded up to 16 years in total. The cabinet member U Soe Nyunt Lwin previously received 38 years of imprisonment for sedition on December 30, hence, today’s verdict makes up to a total of 54 years jail time for him.
Save the Children today pled the international community to impose arms embargo on the State Administration Council (SAC). In its statement, the nonprofit group announced that children have been killed in the ongoing arm conflicts and aerial attacks by the SAC forces in Karenni State and Sagaing Region in the past two weeks. The statement reported that a total of 405,700 people have fled from their homes, including 150,000 children, in the past year after the military seized power. Head of Save the Children Inger Ashing requested member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to intervene the Myanmar affairs and to prevent further aerial attacks on civilians.
On international front, Australian energy giant Woodside Petroleum announced that it will officially exit from Myanmar, ending the contracts with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). The company has suspended its operation in Myanmar for the past 11 months, and now officially pull out its business, following the announcement of Chevron and TotalEnergies. National Unity Government (NUG) announced that its cabinet members had a meeting with Derek Chollet, Counselor of the United States Department of State and Kin Moy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs yesterday. The two sides discussed more effective ways to support the situation of Myanmar.
Back in 2019, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi went to The Hague, and defended Myanmar military at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from Gambia’s law suit against Myanmar for the Rohingya genocide. Then Myanmar government objected the law suit by arguing that the ICJ does not have the jurisdiction. Today, Rohingya activist Nay San Lwin told Myanmar Pressphoto Agency that the NUG has withdrawn the previous objection and accepted the case to move forward. Another round of court hearing will take place on February 21 until February 28, and both the NUG and the SAC are in competition to represent Myanmar. The activist said that if NUG can represent Myanmar, the case will advance quickly. So far, ICJ has not announced who will represent Myanmar.
