Internal Politics
- AA captured key general near Bangladesh border
Brigadier General Thurein Tun, the most influential military figure in the Maungdaw region along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, was captured by the Arakan Army (AA). As the commander of the 15th Military Operations Command based in Buthidaung, Rakhine State, Brigadier General Thurein Tun held significant authority over military and civilian affairs across Maungdaw District, including Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. His strategic oversight extended to operations on the highly volatile western border. After months of clashes with the AA, the general relocated to Na Kha Kha-5, the closest border police station to Bangladesh, in Maungdaw Township. This move came after the regime personnel withdrew from the area. At the camp, he led a group of more than 700 troops, as reported by the AA. However, on December 8, after enduring a 55-day siege, the camp fell to the AA, forcing the general to flee. The AA announced on December 11 that the brigadier general was captured on a roadside while attempting to escape into Bangladesh. A video released by the AA shows the once-dominant commander kneeling before AA soldiers—a stark contrast to his previous image as he was known for his role in arresting and torturing opponents of the military council in central and western Myanmar.
- Coup leader emphasized technology in the warfare
On December 12, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing stressed the importance of integrating advanced technology into both the battlefield and workplace during a graduation ceremony at the Military Academy of Technology in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay. Highlighting the growing role of electronic and information warfare in shaping defense strategies, the military leader urged cadets to stay updated with emerging technologies and apply them effectively. He emphasized the need for military personnel to be “Fit For Fight” by adapting to technological advancements. He acknowledged the challenges posed by drone operations from rebel forces. However, he noted that once the regime adopted drone technology, it shifted the balance, causing resistance forces to become more cautious. Reports indicate that the regime is extensively deploying Chinese-made reconnaissance and combat drones. According to CDM Captain Zin Yaw, since late 2023, the regime has been training corporals in drone operations with assistance from China.
- The regime to hold elections in 161 townships amid security concerns
On December 10, political parties told RFA that U Ko Ko, Chairman of the regime-assembled Election Commission, announced plans to hold elections in only 161 out of 330 townships across the country, identifying them as “secure zones.” The announcement followed a meeting between the Election Commission Chairman and political parties on December 7 in Nay Pyi Taw. Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of the Rakhine State Leading Party, stressed the importance of ensuring displaced individuals retain their voting rights. An expert on Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution, speaking anonymously for security reasons, expressed skepticism about the elections bringing meaningful political change. Instead, they suggested the primary outcomes would likely be the lifting of the state of emergency and the end of martial law. In contrast to the 2020 general election, which covered 315 out of 330 constituencies, the planned 2025 elections represent a significant reduction. During the meeting, U Ko Ko also mentioned that 53 existing political parties are set to participate in the elections, with one additional party currently under review for official establishment.
International Affairs
- ASEAN foreign ministers to hold talks on Myanmar in Bangkok
ASEAN foreign ministers were set to meet in Bangkok on December 20 to address the ongoing Myanmar crisis, according to Roy Soemirat, spokesperson for Indonesia’s political department. The meeting, convened at the invitation of Laos, the current ASEAN Chair, will focus on implementing the Five-Point Consensus—ASEAN’s agreed framework for resolving Myanmar’s post-coup conflict. At the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane last October, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa proposed hosting informal discussions in December to advance peace efforts. He emphasized that Myanmar remains a key concern for the region and reiterated the collective commitment of all ASEAN member states to restoring peace and stability in Myanmar. The upcoming meeting signals a continued regional effort to address the political and humanitarian challenges resulting from the military coup in 2021.
- Activists urged Airbus to cut ties with Myanmar regime supplier
On December 11, Justice For Myanmar (JFM) announced that 311 Myanmar revolutionary forces and civil society organizations have sent an open letter to the CEO of Airbus, urging the company to end its involvement in activities linked to alleged war crimes by the Myanmar military regime. The letter specifically calls on Airbus to cease cooperation with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the primary supplier of military aircraft and maintenance services to Myanmar’s military. The open letter highlights Airbus as a major investor and partner of AVIC, emphasizing the company’s responsibility to leverage its influence over AVIC and its subsidiaries. The groups demand that Airbus stop the transfer of military aircraft, weapons, and related equipment to the Myanmar military and to halt maintenance and upgrades of any supplied aircraft. The initiative was backed by 311 organizations, including Justice For Myanmar (JFM), the Blood Money Campaign, and student unions, reflecting a broad coalition advocating for corporate accountability in Myanmar’s ongoing conflict.
Business Matters
- The regime to inspect workers’ remittances from abroad
The regime’s Ministry of Labor planned to inspect foreign employment agencies starting December 16 to verify whether nearly 57,000 overseas workers have been sending portions of their salaries back home, according to foreign employment agencies speaking to RFA. From May to August 2024, a total of 429 employment agencies sent 56,860 workers to destinations including Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and the Middle East. An executive from one of the agencies said that they are required to prove that 25% of the workers’ salaries have been remitted to their families in Myanmar. The inspections will cover 50 agencies per day from December 16 to 27. In November, the Ministry of Labor announced that 118 employment agencies had failed to submit remittance contracts. Agencies that fail to comply on time face fines and bans from submitting new demand letters for overseas employment. The move reflects the regime’s increased scrutiny over foreign labor remittances, a crucial source of foreign currency for Myanmar’s struggling economy.
- World Bank predicted further decline in Myanmar’s economy
Myanmar’s economy, already weakened by conflict, natural disasters, and shortages of essential goods, is projected to contract by another 1% by March 2025, according to the World Bank’s December 11 Myanmar Economic Monitor. This revised forecast marks a deterioration from the World Bank’s earlier prediction six months ago. The report highlights that Myanmar’s agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors are expected to continue shrinking due to shortages of raw materials, frequent power outages, and weak domestic demand. Approximately half of Myanmar’s 330 townships are directly impacted by conflict, disrupting supply chains and cross-border trade and further destabilizing the country’s macroeconomic environment. Melinda Good, the World Bank’s Country Director for Thailand and Myanmar, described the situation as a “major economic downturn”, noting that low-income households and vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of rising prices and economic hardship. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar has surged to 3.5 million, a sharp increase from 1.5 million in October 2023, representing approximately 6% of the population, according to United Nations data cited in the report. The World Bank warns that these overlapping crises will likely prolong economic instability and deepen humanitarian challenges across the country.
Humanitarian Affairs
- Myanmar ranked third in countries facing worst humanitarian crisis by 2025
Myanmar has been ranked third on the list of 20 countries most likely to face the world’s worst humanitarian crises in 2025, according to a report released by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on December 11. The IRC’s ranking places Sudan at the top, followed by Palestine in second, Myanmar in third, South Sudan in fifth, and Syria in eighth. Myanmar has risen from fifth place in 2024 to its current position, reflecting a worsening humanitarian situation. The report highlights a sharp increase in armed conflict, with the number of armed opposition groups surging across the country. This escalation has led to nearly 900,000 new displacements in 2024 alone—a 37% increase from 2023. Additionally, the fragile healthcare system has been further weakened by disease outbreaks, including cholera, leaving millions without access to essential medical care. The IRC also notes that Myanmar has struggled to respond effectively to natural disasters, including severe floods and cyclones, compounding the existing humanitarian crisis. If current conditions persist, the report warns that Myanmar could face near-total collapse in 2025, with worsening conflict, disease outbreaks, and insufficient disaster response capabilities driving the crisis further.
Attacks on the Junta’s Lackeys & Assets
- More than 15,000 joined CDM since the coup
Over 15,000 junta and police members have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) since the military coup, according to U Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the NUG’s Prime Minister’s Office. In a December 10 press release, he revealed that 479 regime personnel—including military lieutenant colonels, police officers, and newly recruited soldiers—joined the CDM between January and November 2024. Many of them also brought weapons and ammunition to support the resistance.
- Bomb blasted in Tamwe Township, Yangon
On December 10, at 6:55 pm, a bomb exploded near a municipal office in Tamwe Township, Yangon, injuring several non-CDM employees, according to local residents. Following the explosion, military and police vehicles patrolled the area, and ward administrations were instructed to check visitors.
- Rocket strike on southern military district headquarters
On December 11 at 11 pm, resistance forces attacked the Southern Military District Headquarters in Taungoo with four 107 mm rockets. Two rockets successfully hit their targets, causing casualties among military council members. The headquarters, a command center for operations in Bago Region, Karen State, and northern Myanmar, was targeted to weaken the regime’s forces. The joint operation involved the Brave Warriors for Myanmar (BWM), Mountain Knight Civilian Defense Forces (MKCDF), Anti-Coup People’s Liberation Force (ACPLF), and Thandaung North Special Region Group.
- Regime gate attacked on Yangon-Mandalay Expressway
On December 12 at 3 pm, resistance groups, including the Natogyi People’s Defense Force (PDF) and MDDS, launched a drone attack on the military checkpoint at Mile 319 on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Nyaung To Gyi Township. The attack, which lasted an hour, reached the military bunker but was interrupted by reinforcements. Four resistance fighters were injured but successfully retreated. Military ambulances were later seen transporting injured junta soldiers.
Arbitrary Arrests, Killings & Violence
- Forced recruitment in Nay Pyi Taw sparked mass fleeing
Residents in Nay Pyi Taw report that young men are fleeing as the military conducts door-to-door recruitment drives. Witnesses say five men aged 20 to 30 were forcibly taken from Pyinmana town and nearby villages on December 3. With the regime suffering losses in Rakhine and Kachin states, it has launched urgent conscription efforts, now in their seventh week of training.
- Burnt bodies found after the regime’s military left camp in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region
Four burnt bodies were discovered in Thapyathar village, Sagaing Region, after the military temporarily withdrew from its base, the local PDF reported on December 10. The military entered the village on December 7 and withdrew two days later. When resistance forces entered on December 10, they found bodies piled in a burnt building. According to a PDF official, the victims—believed to be civilians—showed no signs of gunshot or knife wounds, suggesting they were burned alive.
- Junta’s airstrike in Hakha killed family members
The regime’s air force bombed Chun Kyong village, 10 miles north of Hakha, Chin State, early on December 10, killing four members of a family. Local residents reported that two bombs struck a house where six family members lived, killing U Ram Kyong, a man in his 60s, his wife, their daughter, and teenage grandson. Two children survived. The attack occurred around 2:15 a.m., with at least 10 others reportedly injured, according to a Chin human rights group.
- Mindat suffered heavy bombardment from Junta
Mindat, Chin State, was subjected to severe military airstrikes on December 12, destroying over 40 homes and injuring four residents, local sources confirmed. Jets and Y-12 aircraft conducted multiple bombing runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dropping nearly 100 bombs. The Chin Revolutionary Joint Forces are actively fighting to take control of Mindat, while the military employs extensive air and artillery attacks to maintain its hold on the town.
Armed Resistance
- Battle for Bhamo Intensified in Kachin State
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies have taken control of about 70 percent of Bhamo, Kachin State, on the Myanmar-China border, as heavy fighting continues. Bhamo houses the 21st Military Operations Command and multiple battalions, including infantry, armored, tank, and artillery units. The KIA, Arakan Army (AA), and Kachin People’s Defense Force (KPDF) launched a joint offensive on December 4, targeting Bhamo and nearby Mansi town.
- AA secured Myanmar-Bangladesh Border
The Arakan Army (AA) captured several military posts and took control of the 168-mile Myanmar-Bangladesh border after seizing the Border Guard Police Station in Maungdaw Township on December 8. The station had been blockaded for two months as part of the AA’s 11-month offensive in northern Rakhine State. Despite losing the area, the military continues airdropping supplies to its remaining forces.
- Chin resistance forces cleared Hakha-Thantlang route
The Chin National Army (CNA) announced the capture of all eight military camps along the Hakha-Thantlang route in Chin State on December 8, taking 20 regime soldiers prisoner. The offensive, led by the CNA, Chin National Front, and Chin Area Defense Forces since November 22, culminated in the seizure of the Auto Taung camp. The resistance forces captured nearly 70 weapons and over 20,000 rounds of ammunition, while killing two battalion commanders and four officers. Most prisoners were conscripts forcibly recruited under regime’s conscription law.
- Karen forces captured strategic camp
On December 11, Karen forces, including the Karen National Union’s (KNU) 5th Brigade, PDF, Burma People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), and Force for Federal Democracy (FFD), seized the Taung Thonelone camp near Hpapun in northern Karen State. The camp had been blockaded since December 4. The military suffered casualties, while one resistance fighter was injured during the attack.
Sources: Myanmar Now, Khit Thit Media, RFA Burmese, Mizzima News, DVB, The Irrawaddy
