As we reported yesterday, the grenade attack in Yangon’s Sanchaung township took the lives of two military men, including a major. In the aftermath of such a defeat, the regime’s forces brought terror show they had been carried out in rural areas to the city of Yangon. Khit Thit media reported today that vendors from wet markets were forced to close, items from local shops were taken, bicycles and motorbikes were also looted. Security was tightened in at least 14 townships of Yangon with both uniformed and plain-clothed forces patrolling around today. Roads were blocked, homes were checked if there were any guest, and personal belongings of people on the streets were also searched.
Despite all these, explosions were reported in three townships in Yangon this morning according to Khit Thit media. In the afternoon, a small arson attack took place at a ward administration office in Hlaing Township but the responsible person escaped. Regime soldiers were also seen patrolling in Mandalay city but the city saw bomb blast and gunfires today. A bomb blasted at a ward administration office in Aung Myay Tharzan township, injuring one of the soldiers who guard the office. In another part of the same township, regime soldiers opened fire at two young men on motorbike but bullets hit and injured a female who worked at a gas station nearby.
Meanwhile, more terror shows were continued to be carried out by the junta’s forces. At the border of Magway and Sagaing regions, regime soldiers entered Myin Thar and Thar Lin villages near Gantgaw-Kalay highway road, and killed at least 11 young men, as young as high school students, claiming they were people defense force (PDF) members last night as reported by BBC Burmese. In addition to the killing spree, houses in the villages were set ablaze which caused villagers fleeing to a safe place. Some 30 villagers were also arrested and beaten up according to Khit Thit media. When the people’s side decided to take up arms, some show their concerns for escalating violence and bloodbath, but the regime’s forces have been carried out murders and tortures like this since the beginning of the coup.
For the PDFs, the enemy comes in various forms. Pro-military thug group Pyu Saw Htee needs no further introduction to our readers except that they are now armed and clashing with PDFs. In Taninthayi Region, Launglon township, a shootout took place between local Pyu Saw Htee group and Launglon People Security Force (LPSF) in Pyin Oo Thawbaw Seik village this morning around 11am. According to LPSF leader, the incident killed the leader of Pyu Saw Htee group who was notorious for shooting randomly in the village for no apparent reason. After the incident, about 50 regime troops came and carried out indiscriminate shooting to scare the villagers according to Irrawaddy News. In another part of Launglon Township, Wa Byaw village, Pyu Saw Htee members shot a couple in their own home around 11am today. The husband died instantly, and the wife was injured on her arm. They were NLD supporters and occasionally joined anti-regime movements.
On the front of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), Karen National Union (KNU)’s Brigade 3 and 5 combined and seized a military outpost in Bago Region on September 9. The KNU spokesperson said that the operation took place at 6am and occupied the outpost at 8am with no casualty from KNU side. This morning, a battle took place in Chin State’s Thantlang township, Lungler village between the combined force of Chin National Front (CNF) and Chinland Defense Force (CDF) and the regimes forces. The regime forces launched airstrikes during the battle, injuring five soldiers from the ethnic force. Six soldiers from the regime side were also killed, and the clash continued until this evening. In Kachin State, Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the junta’s forces clashed near Tanai-Shimbwiyang highway road around 2pm today. The details were yet to be reported but villagers nearby fled to a safe space.
People’s Defense Force Central Headquarter (Mandalay Region) announced that 64 attacks were carried out at the regime’s forces and their establishments from September 7 to 9, 48 hours since the National Unity Government (NUG) declared defensive war. Attacks included 26 regime’s administrative establishments, 26 patrols and outposts, eight police and police outposts. Among them, three military owned MyTel mobile towers were also dynamited. The attacks were carried out in six districts of central Myanmar region, and explosives were used in 80% and guns in 14% of attacks.
In other news, the value of Myanmar kyat (MMK) has been dropping since the coup, and today it has hit the lowest record. Today’s market rated that one US dollar was now equivalent to 2020 MMK. In January 2021, one USD was equivalent to 1300+ MMK so today’s rate was quite the jump. With the dropping value of MMK, gold price is hiking up and so are the commodities.
The country is at war, the economy crumbles and our lives are no longer safe. Yet, to this day, people took to the street to express themselves in non-violent way, and that is, rejecting the military regime. Protests were observed in Launglon township of Taninthayi Region, Lapadaung, Sarlingyi and Kalay townships in Sagaing Region, Myaing township in Magway Region and several rallies in Mandalay city despite the tightened security. While the international community reiterated to negotiate with the murderous regime, more than 200 days of marching strikes against the military regime said otherwise.
