Bridge in Karenni State destroyed by resistance forces
Phone Naing, the adjutant-general of the Karenni Army (KA), told BBC Burmese that it was “necessary” for the KA to destroy the bridge over the Thanlwin River, located two miles (3 km) south of Hpasawng, to stop regime forces from advancing into the town on Tuesday. This follows regime forces claiming control over Hpasawng on Feb. 15, which has been disputed by Karenni resistance forces.
An anonymous source in the Karenni resistance based in Mese Township told DVB that the Thanlwin Bridge connects Hpasawng to Mese town, which is under resistance control. Hpasawng, located 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Mese and 73 miles (117 km) south of the Karenni State capital Loikaw, has been contested between regime and resistance forces since a military counteroffensive recaptured Demoso Township on Aug. 19.
Demoso is located 63 miles (101 km) north of Hpasawng and 10 miles (16 km) south of Loikaw. Hpasawng residents accused resistance forces of destroying another bridge called the Htuchaung, located seven miles (11 km) north of Hpasawng, that connects to Bawlakhe town. DVB was unable to reach Karenni resistance forces to verify if it did destroy the Htuchaung Bridge to also stop regime forces from advancing on their positions.
At least 16 prisoners killed in 18 protests inside prisons
The Myanmar Prison Witness (MPW), a human rights monitoring organization, released a statement on Monday that documents at least 16 prisoners, including political prisoners, have died in a minimum of 18 protests inside prisons nationwide since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Around 400 prisoners have also been beaten and put in solitary confinement due to these 18 protests, according to MPW.
“Prisons in Myanmar have turned into a living hell for prisoners, since the 2021 military coup. Prison authorities [are] torturing the political prisoners and blocking the prisoners’ rights, including access to medical treatments,” MPW wrote in its press release on Feb. 16. It added that the 18 protests occurred in Yangon’s Insein and Mandalay’s Obo – two of Burma’s most notorious prisons.
Myanmar Prison Witness reported that the first protest was staged in Mandalay’s Obo prison on June 19, 2021 to honor jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday. A political prisoner who led the strike was held in solitary confinement and more than 30 political prisoners were beaten by prison authorities for singing political songs, chants and poems supporting the resistance to the 2021 coup.
Ten jade miners missing after landslide in Kachin State
At least 10 jade miners are reported missing and 10 others were injured by a landslide at a jade mine located in Kuday Hmaw village of Hpakant Township, Kachin State, on Monday. Hpakant is located 94 miles (151 km) northwest of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina and 58 miles (93 km) southwest of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) headquarters at Laiza.
“About 20 people were caught in [the landslide]. Out of them, about 10 managed to escape. We can’t find the remaining 10 miners,” a Hpakant resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. He added that search and rescue efforts have been hampered because the miners have been buried under waste from the mine. The 10 injured miners were taken to Hpakant Hospital.
Hpakant residents told DVB that jade mining companies operate heavy machinery around the clock and that leftover mining debris and waste have not been systematically managed since the 2021 military coup. Hundreds of miners were killed in a landslide in Hpakant in December 2021. Fighting between the KIA and regime forces resumed in Hpakant on April 23.
News by Region
CHINLAND—The Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) told Chin World that it recaptured the Htinshu hilltop outpost in Falam Township on Feb. 14, one day after it was seized by regime troops. Falam, located 68 miles (109 km) north of the state capital Hakha, was seized by the Chin Brotherhood in April.
The CNDF added that resistance forces have seized 11 small arms, as well as additional artillery pieces and ammunition. Regime forces launched a counteroffensive in October supported by the Burma Air Force and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in an attempt to regain control of Falam from resistance forces.
MANDALAY—Tenants at the Sky Villa condominium in Aungmyaythazan Township, who survived the collapse of the building on March 28 during the earthquake, told DVB that they want compensation from Naing Tun Lin, the managing director at N.T.L. Construction Company, who was put on trial for criminal negligence on Feb. 10.
A man who lost his son in the condo collapse told DVB that he wants either a heavy penalty against the accused or compensation equal to the price he paid for his condo. Each on was priced up to 650 million MMK ($160,000 USD), according to tenants. The Fire Services Department stated that it rescued 52 survivors and recovered 207 others from the rubble.
SAGAING—Regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing blamed the residents of Homalin Township for conflict affecting the region at a meeting with them and regime officials at the Homalin Town Hall on Sunday. Homalin is located 331 miles (533 km) north of the region’s capital Monywa.
“Conflict should be resolved through political means, not violent action,” he told the crowd, while claiming that the People’s Defense Force (PDF) profits off of natural resources. Min Aung Hlaing called on residents to rid the area of the PDF. Homalin has gold mines and is partially controlled by the PDF.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 3,875 MMK)
