April 2023

A 70-strong military column advanced into the area between Yinmabin and Salingyi townships, causing over 5,000 residents from six villages to flee. The NUG’s Ministry of Home Affairs & Immigration announced that the military torched 102 times nationwide in March 2023, and close to 4400 homes were destroyed in these arson attacks. In the report, it was also stated that up to 35 civilians were killed in the aforementioned arson attacks.

Three resistance rangers named Ko Thiha (aged 38), Ko Htet Nay Win (aged 31), and Ko Saw Phyo Lay (aged 26) were detained by Thai police in Maesot, Thai-Myanmar border town. Ko Thiha had been injured in a battle against the regime’s forces in Kawkareik Township’s Kyonedoe Village on March 25 and he was arrested alongside two rangers who were accompanying him on his way to a hospital on the Thai border.  South Korean’s NK News reported that Myanmar may have purchased weapons from North Korea, citing a UN report it has seen. According to an upcoming UN Panel of Experts report, a member state suggested that Royal Shune Lei Company Ltd acted as a broker for the Myanmar military to purchase weapons from the Korea Mining and Development Trading Corporation (KOMID), North Korea’s primary arms dealer which has been sanctioned by the UN.

The regime’s tribunal sentenced the prominent activist Wai Moe Naing to 20 additional years imprisonment in Monywa, Sagaing Region. The 28-year-old has been sentenced to 34 years in prison in total now after being charged and found guilty of four charges.

Two water festival pandals (Thingyan Mandat) set up by the regime’s forces in Yangon were reportedly targeted with remote bombs. San Chaung Township’s police station pandal and Dagon Township’s regional government pandal were simultaneously attacked by Dark Shadow Urban Guerilla Force.

The military launched aerial attacks at Pazigyi Village, Kantbalu Township in Sagaing Region. The regime’s forces deliberately dropped bombs on a gathering event taking place at Pazigyi Village, killing up to 160 civilians including children. General Saw Eh Ku, commander-in-chief of the Karen National Liberation Army/Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC) committed suicide according to RFA Burmese. The 60-year-old took his own life at his home in Hta Lot Village, Myawady Township. More than 3,000 residents from seven villages on the border of Ye-U and Khin-U townships of Sagaing Region fled to the Khin-U Township side after a 60-strong junta column advanced into the area, the residents said.

ASEAN published on its Facebook that Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the 10-member bloc, held a meeting with Ambassador Aung Myo Myint who is appointed by the junta to represent Myanmar at the ASEAN on April 13. The Facebook post stated that the pair discussed the implementation of the Five-Point consensus, the recent developments in the country, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.  The junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was listed in the “Leaders” section alongside US President Joe Biden, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, and other prominent activists and leaders. Time’s writer Charlie Campbell has written about Min Aung Hlaing to raise awareness about the atrocities that he and his army have been committing against civilians.

April 16 marked the second anniversary of the formation of the NUG. President Duwa Lashi La delivered the State of the Union address virtually and highlighted the military regime’s recent airstrike, urging the international community to provide defense equipment to protect against future aerial attacks and to stop international companies that are still selling aviation fuels to the regime or facilitating the sales. In the evening, the regime’s forces reportedly conducted an airstrike on Panpar Village, Mindat Township, Chin State. Around 5.10 pm, two fighter jets dropped bombs on the village without an active battle in the area.

A clash broke out between the regime’s army and the resistance forces in the Maekanal area, near Myawaddy Town, Thai-Myanmar Border in Karen State. The coalition of forces led by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) clashed against the regime’s army and its ally Border Guard Forces (BGF) that evening due to the regime’s artillery offensive.

The regime’s air force reportedly conducted yet another aerial strike on Pazigyi Village, Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region. On the previous evening, about 100 junta troops attempted to raid the village via ground operation but instead decided to camp in the east of the village.  The junta-controlled consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand announced that six additional requirements must be met when renewing a visit or student passport.

U Sai Kyaw Thu, the deputy director for the Regime’s Union Election Committee (UEC) was reportedly shot to death in Thingankyun Township, Yangon.

Former UN Chief Ban Ki-moon concluded his two-day trip to Myanmar after meeting with the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, and former president U Thein Sein. The regime-controlled newspaper reported that basic education students in Myanmar have been receiving military training from the Air Force and Navy.

The final images and video footage taken by Kenji Nagai, the Japanese journalist who was shot and killed by the Myanmar soldiers during the 2007 Saffron Revolution, in his last moment were released as the DVB returned his camera to his family.

23 undocumented Myanmar workers were arrested at a construction site in Ban Phli, Samut Prakan District, Thailand. They will be prosecuted and deported to Myanmar.

Organizers announced that the Kantablu Debt Campaign, aimed to provide for those affected by the regime’s air strikes in Myanmar including survivors of the Pazigyi Massacre, has received about MMK 5333 Lakhs within two weeks.