The regime’s Ministry of Information (MOI) reported that regime troops have destroyed 866 small-scale oil wells and refineries “illegally” operated by residents in Magway Region’s Pakokku and Myaing townships since Sept. 18.
It claimed that residents pay “protection fees” to the People’s Defence Force (PDF) to operate oil extraction and refining businesses in 735 locations in Pakokku’s Yenanchat village and 131 in Myaing’s Letpanto and Kyaukkwet villages.
Regime forces have “destroyed” 509 temporary camps in Pakokku and 246 in Myaing allegedly belonging to the PDF. The MOI accused the PDF of funding “terrorist” operations through revenues collected from the oilfields.
Pakokku and Myaing, located 105-131 miles (168-210 km) north of the region’s capital Magway, are partially controlled by resistance forces, including the PDF under National Unity Government (NUG) command.
Magway Region is home to seven major onshore oilfields, which produced a combined 2.1 million barrels of crude oil in the 2018–19 fiscal year, according to Bago Region’s government statistics prior to the 2021 military coup.
The Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP-Myanmar) reported on Sept. 16 that the Myanmar Air Force has carried out at least 1,583 airstrikes across 13 states and regions, including 322 in Magway, since Ye Win Oo was appointed as commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military on March 30.
DVB has documented that 501 people have been killed and 1,107 others have been injured in 1,126 aerial attacks, including airstrikes, drone, paramotor and gyrocopter attacks, nationwide from April to August.
