100Myanmar Now reported that the junta forces had beaten the family members of a protest leader, including a 70-year-old grandmother and a 5-year-old daughter, in Tayettan village, Amarapura Township, Mandalay on the night of October 26. One villager spoke to Myanmar Now that local People Defense Forces (PDFs) had destroyed Mytel towers in the area three days ago, and it was the reason the soldiers raided the village. Junta’s army usually targeted Tayettan Village since the village has a majority population of National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters. During the raid, the soldiers not only beat the relatives of a protest leader but also destroyed the houses and properties. Such beatings caused bruises on the backs, thighs, and arms of two victims. A local also said that the villagers were not responsible for destroying Mytel Towers, and the soldiers were just torturing them without any clear reason.
Last night, bombings took place across 7 KBZ branch offices on Mandalay too. KBZ bank is notoriously famous for freezing the bank accounts linked with supporting pro-democracy movements in Myanmar. The local from Mandalay also seconded that KBZ bank has been informing the military of bank account users whom they suspected as pro-democracy supporters and freeze their accounts, and this could be the reason KBZ branches across Mandalay were attacked. A secretary from one charity organization also spoke to Myanmar Now that KBZ bank was freezing KBZ Pay wallets of users who were merely raising funds for oxygen cylinder tanks during COVID third wave, and the bank has also been acting as a military informer for the personal information of democracy movement advocates.
Actions happened across Mandalay even after midnight too. In the early morning of today, the regional NLD office in Chanayetharzan Township, Mandalay was bombed. A NLD member from Aungmyaytharzan Township spoke to The Irrawaddy News that the military had seized control of this office since February. He further added that since the bombing took place during the curfew hours when civilians were prohibited from going out, it is obvious who was responsible for destroying NLD office. This is not the first time NLD offices have been attacked since the coup happened in February. Back in March 26, NLD’s Yangon head office has also been targeted in arson attack on the early morning during the curfew hours too.
A tragedy happened to residents in Hlaingthar this morning. The regime’s forces have ordered about 1,000 squatter houses across Yangon-Pathein Highway on Hlaingtharyar Township, Yangon to destruct their houses by October 28. This morning, the soldiers were found forcibly evicting squatters with the use of bulldozers, prisoner transport vehicles, police cars, and military trucks. The local from Hlaingtharyar spoke to Mizzima News that some squatters have already demolished their houses yesterday, and it is such a tragedy to witness people having to destroy their own houses. Locals have also spoke to Myanmar Labour News that squatters are currently facing difficulties as they do not have enough money for moving to new places and cannot find a place to stay.
Ministry of Defense from National Unity Government (NUG) announced that Kawlin PDFs exterminated the regime soldiers around 2 am on October 27 in Kawlin Township, Sagaing and about 40 of them were reportedly killed during the battle. One PDF soldier was also wounded in the battle though the injury was not serious. On the eastern part of Myanmar, the junta soldiers clashed with Karenni Army (KA) and Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF). The battle lasted for about 2 hours, and casualties from regime’s forces were witnessed while KA and KNDF successfully retraced from the battle. This clash resulted in the deaths of 10 junta’s soldiers and destroyed two military convoys.
Threats and tortures have been two commonly used strategies of the junta forces. Today, State Administration’s Council (SAC)’s lieutenant general Than Hlaing ordered businessmen and charity associations in Sagaing Region not to support local PDFs. SAC has assigned Than Hlaing to lead clearance operations in Sagaing, Magway and Chin State where PDFs are growing massively. Therefore, as one of the first steps, Than Haling threatened responsible stakeholders from business associations, volunteer networks, and hotel & tourism association members not to engaged with local PDFs. Moreover, Talarshwemyay media reported that the junta has been sending its forces with helicopters to Tanze and Kyunhla towns under “Alaungminthayar Operation.” A local spoke to Yangon Khit Thit Media that 6 military helicopters and fighter jets have been seen flying in the area this morning. Local PDFs evaluated that the regime forces are about to carry out airstrikes because PDFs have been detonating bombs on their convoys on ground.
On the other hand, U Tin Tun Naing, the acting union minister for the Ministry of Planning, Finance of NUG, announced that NUG will start selling the long anticipated zero interest-rate treasury bonds worth the value of $1 billion. He released in a statement that these treasury bonds will be released as a 2-year bond and the opening day of bond sales and buying methods for bonds will further be announced. He has also sincerely requested pro-democracy movement supporters for Myanmar to purchase these Spring Revolution treasury bonds to support the campaign in ending the military dictatorship in Myanmar. NUG also announced that NUG’s representative office has been opened in Prague on October 27. David Červenka from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the opening ceremony who said that he will stand together with Myanmar people, and support NUG. U Aung Myo Min, a human rights minister of NUG has also attended the opening ceremony along with Myanmar pro-democracy movement supporters in Czech Republic.
