Since the Military Council took power in the February 2021 coup People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) made up of civilians opposed to junta rule have been bombing Military Council targets.
In the last week bombing attacks against the junta have increased and they have suffered more casualties than normal. As a result, the junta has been retaliating causing a rise in civilian deaths too.
In Yangon, PDFs started what they called the Pyan Hlwar Aung operation, attacks that targeted military-linked entities. Pyan Hlwar Aung translates as swallow and like the bird the attacks are supposed to be fast followed by a fast withdrawl.
The Pyan Hlwar Aung operation has caused alarm amongst Military Council personnel. They have built and are manning sandbag bunkers with peepholes for guns in front of police stations, administration offices and schools.
As part of the Pyan Hlwar Aung operation A local defence force, the Wolf Warriors STF (WWSTF) attacked a Military Council vehicle with a hand grenade on the Myin Taw Thar main road in Yangon’s Thaketa Township on 19 February. At the same time, they threw a grenade onto Thaketa Football field where Military Council troops were stationed, said a member of the group. Two Military Council soldiers were killed and four were injured, according to WWSTF claims.
Following these grenade attacks the Thaketa Seven market on Myin Taw Thar Road was set on fire by soldiers because they claimed that the perpetrators of the hand grenade attack were hiding in the market.
According to the WWSTF the soldiers set fire to the market because they had suffered losses, just like they do in ethnic areas. They said that the soldiers want people to blame the anti-junta forces for the market fire because they had hidden there. The group added that when justice and injustice face off there will be suffering. But, people have seen this before and have been aware of the military’s barbarity for over 70 years.
There are many Military Council security checkpoints in Mandalay and these are frequently targeted for ambushes.
On 21 February soldiers stationed at Mandalay’s Yadanarbon University were bombed twice. The second bomb attack, carried out by a Mandalay-based urban guerrilla group, killed a soldier.
A ward administration office between 115 street and 116 street in PyigyiTakon Township, Mandalay was burned down on 22 February. The fire brigade recorded the value of the 20 by 30 feet building as being 450,000 kyats.
Also on 22 February the Ward Administration offices in Mandalay’s Maha Aung Myay, Aung Myay Thar Zan and Pyi Kyi Ta Kon townships were burned down.
Ward Administration offices are occupied by junta troops who coerce people into reporting any overnight guests and control who gets letters of recommendation from the ward, which people need for their work and when they travel. People believe that ward administrators are the Military Council’s biggest informants.
There has been intense fighting in Sagaing Region, where there are many members of the Pyu Saw Htee, a military aligned armed militia. There are also more informants than in Yangon and Mandalay, but local defence forces are strong and the military are still suffering losses.
Sin Inn and Sate Kon police stations in Sagaing’s Shwebo Township had bombs dropped on them by local PDF drones on 21 February.
The groups that carried out the attacks were the People Defense Force-Shwebo, C&T (Shwebo), SNAKE-EYES (PDF), Fighter One and other local defense forces. They said that there were 50 Pyu Saw Htee troops stationed in both Sin Inn and Sat Kone villages. The groups claimed that three junta soldiers were killed and another six were injured in the two attacks.
In the hills on the border between Karenni and Shan states a Military Council encampment of troops from the Kalaw based 7th infantry battalion of the 55th light infantry battalion was attacked by PDF forces on 22 February. Five soldiers were killed and two guns, an MA2 and an MA3 along with ammunition and a BA100 mortar were also seized by the groups according to the PDF.
Military Council forces and their allies are shooting at people and oppressing them. They are opposed by the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile, and the PDFs. Unfortunately, the NUG is finding it hard to communicate with the PDFs inside the country, who despite being poorly equipped are doing their best to fight against the military with some sacrificing their lives to the fight.
