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Arakan Army accused of executing prisoners of war; Malaysia optimistic about resolving Myanmar crisis

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The commander of the No. 15 Military Operations Command (MOC-15) Thurein Tun was taken prisoner by the AA after it seized Maungdaw Township, northern Arakan State, on Dec. 8. (Credit: AA)

Arakan Army accused of executing prisoners of war

The regional human rights organization Fortify Rights has accused the Arakan Army (AA) of executing prisoners of war in a report, based on leaked video footage, released on Thursday. It called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate extrajudicial killing by the AA for the torture and murder of two detainees in front of a shallow dirt pit in the ground.

“Torturing and summarily executing civilians or captured enemy soldiers are war crimes,” said Ejaz Min Khant, the human rights associate at Fortify Rights. “Captured enemy soldiers should always be treated with dignity as prisoners of war and afforded the protections of the Geneva Conventions, and those responsible for war crimes against detainees should be prosecuted.”

Fortify Rights analyzed two leaked video recordings from Dec. 25 and Jan. 19 showing the alleged executions and believes they are authentic. The two victims do not appear to be dead by the end of the videos but are unlikely to have survived the incident due to the nature of their injuries and the attack. Fortify Rights was unable to verify the exact location of the incident. 

Malaysia optimistic about resolving Myanmar crisis at ASEAN

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for stronger actions to address Burma’s crisis, which has engulfed the country and has crippled the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since the 2021 military coup, stressing the need for inclusive governance to restore peace and stability in the region. 

“I am cautiously optimistic. We will coordinate with the United Nations, and ASEAN will continue to discuss this issue,” Anwar said at the ASEAN Plenary Session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025. “We’ve agreed that countries like Thailand will engage with Myanmar at a different level, and we will coordinate our efforts. However, we remain wary of repeating the mistakes of the past decades.”

Anwar added that while the ASEAN approach to Burma was measured, there was a growing willingness for engagement with the regime in Naypyidaw, which has been excluded from summits and meetings since Min Aung Hlaing agreed to the Five Point Consensus, which is the ASEAN peace plan, but did not implement it upon his return to Burma in April 2021.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính talks with UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22. (Credit: Viet Nam News)

Vietnam Prime Minister meets UN Special Envoy on Myanmar

Vietnam state media reported that Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính met with U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop on the sidelines of the WEF 2025 in Davos, Switzerland to discuss Burma. He said that Vietnam is ready to exert all efforts to bring peace and stability to Southeast Asia and Burma in particular 

“Việt Nam opposed embargo measures that negatively impact the lives of the Myanmar people and the Myanmar issue must be resolved by the Myanmar people themselves, through agreement, compromise, and the involvement of all relevant parties,” said Vietnam Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Wednesday.

State media added that Bishop stressed the need to prioritise Burma and urged all parties to exercise restraint, cease violence, ensure security and safety for civilians, and begin dialogue among all relevant stakeholders to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. She affirmed her commitment to closely cooperate with ASEAN to promote dialogue in Burma.

News by Region 

AYEYARWADY—At least six people, including a police officer, were killed and more than 400 homes, including a school and a monastery, were destroyed by airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force in Pathein Township Jan. 8-18. Fighting between the AA and regime troops continues in Magyizin, Bawmi and Chailel villages near Shwethaungyan town, located 43 miles (69 km) northwest of the regional capital Pathein. 

“At least eight airstrikes were carried out and most victims were civilians, but we don’t know who or where they were from,” a Shwethaungyan resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. A source close to the regime’s administration claimed that there were hundreds of military personnel killed during fighting. The AA stated on Monday that it is attacking areas bordering Arakan in Ayeyarwady, Magway and Bago regions. 

MANDALAY—The Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MPDF) told DVB on Wednesday that fighting against the military has resumed in Madaya and Thabeikkyin townships, as well as Nawnghkio Township in neighbouring Shan State, since Jan. 21. Madaya, Thabeikkyin and Nawnghkio are located 24 miles (39 km) north, 89 miles (143 km) north and 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Mandalay. 

“There is ongoing fighting in at least three places in Madaya as the Burma Army scales up its forces continuously. They also conducted daily artillery shelling from the town to the resistance controlled areas,” the MPDF spokesperson told DVB. He added that fighting resumed in Nawnghkio and Thabeikkyin, which were seized by resistance forces on July 10 and Aug. 25.

SHAN—Nawnghkio residents told DVB that 10 civilians were killed and one other was seriously injured by airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force on the town Wednesday. Nawnghkio is located 96 miles (154 km) south of Lashio in northern Shan State. It was seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on July 10. 

“A jet fighter dropped a bomb onto a tea shop beside the town’s police station in the afternoon. We don’t know anything about the victims,” a Nawnghkio resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. The TNLA claimed that two bombs landed near the Nawnghkio police station. This is the second time the town has been attacked by aerial bombardments this week. 

(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,620 MMK)

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Anti-cyber scam operation led by China along Myanmar border

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Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in cyber scam operations were taken to the Myanmar-China border to be deported on September 26. (Credit: Regime media)

The China Embassy in Myanmar announced on Tuesday that an initiative by law enforcement targeting cross-border criminal syndicates called “Operation SEAGULL” led to the arrest of 70,000 cyber scam suspects and rescued 160 human trafficking victims from six countries.

“The operation brought together law enforcement resources from various countries, demonstrating an effective collaborative force to combat regional communication fraud and arms smuggling. All parties unanimously agreed that this joint operation served as an irreplaceable regional law enforcement platform, achieving the expected results and effectively protecting regional security and peace,” stated the Chinese embassy in its statement on Jan. 21. 

The operation – led by China – was formed by the Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center (LMLECC) and includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It has investigated 160 cases of suspected cyber scam operations mostly in Shan State along the Myanmar-China border from August to December 2024.

The announcement came after a meeting held by LMLECC in Kunming, Yunnan Province of China, on Jan. 21. Representatives from participating countries and international organizations, including the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chiefs of Police attended. 

The LMLECC, recognized as the first international intergovernmental security organization in the Lancang-Mekong region, reportedly emphasized the operation’s significance in combating regional criminal networks.

“Operation SEAGULL” was the first phase of its investigation. The China Embassy added that another phase of the operation is being planned to take place later this year.

A series of high-profile kidnappings have been reported targeting Chinese citizens, including actor Wang Xing, near the Thailand-Myanmar border.

The military regime in Naypyidaw, which seized power after the 2021 coup, accused Thailand of indirectly supporting cyber scam operations along the border by providing essential infrastructure like internet and electricity.

Weapons factories keeping regime in power, states analysts

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The Myanmar Army and Air Force conduct joint exercises, named Bayintnaung, in Naypyidaw on Jan. 31, 2019. (Credit: CINCDS)

After suffering consecutive defeats on the battlefield against resistance forces, the regime has targeted civilians in resistance-controlled areas of Myanmar with airstrikes and artillery shells, referred to as “scorched earth” tactics by Human Rights Watch in its 2025 World Report. The Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI), known in Burmese as KaPaSa, is possibly prolonging the regime’s grip on power.

“As long as the military controls the ports and transport routes connecting Yangon River to Magway and [weapons] factories, as well as Meiktila and Taungoo airbases, they can still just hold on. They won’t be able to win the war just with airstrikes. But they could clutch to the centre for quite some time,” said David Mathieson, an analyst on human rights and conflict in Myanmar.

Mathieson told DVB that while various international sanctions have been levelled against the military, only the ones that target its weapons production capabilities are effective. But he acknowledged the growing importance of targeting aviation fuel imports to the regime’s Air Force, which carries out daily airstrikes against resistance-controlled areas.

“Only about 20 out of the 25 [weapons] factories are currently operational. These facilities are mostly concentrated on the western side of the Ayeyarwady River, centered around the Pathein-Monywa Road. KaPaSa 1 and 4 have recently been relocated to Naypyidaw,” said Zin Yaw, a military defector to the anti-regime Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). The CDM is a nationwide movement founded in response to the 2021 military coup.

Besides the DDI, the regime also has central storage units for imported materials, parts and components with end items and machinery, which is commonly referred to as “the store” in Yangon.

The Defence Materials Production School is located in Pyin Oo Lwin Township of Mandalay Region, and a Training School for DDI factory workers is in Ushit Pin of Pandaung Township, Bago Region. Ushit Pin is located near several DDI factories.

“I believe 95 to 98 percent of the bombs used are locally made. While imported bombs might exist, they would only be used for critical targets under specific conditions. To my knowledge, I’ve never seen foreign bombs being used, only KaPaSa-made bombs,” Zeya, a military defector from the Mingaladon Air Base, told DVB. 

Magway Region is home to 15 DDI factories. Bago Region has seven, while Tatkon Township of Naypyidaw has two, and Taikkyi Township in Yangon Region has one.

Each DDI factory focuses on specific products but are interconnected. For example, DDI 6 in Nyaung Chay Htauk village of Pandaung Township, and DDI 24, in Pauk Township of Magway Region, primarily produce iron and aluminium raw materials needed for manufacturing arms and ammunition. 

Gunpowder used in bombs and artillery shells are produced by DDI 5 in Ushit Pin, which also produces acid and small quantities of gunpowder, along with DDI 13 in Sin Paung Wae of Aunglan District, Magway Region.

Small arms are mainly produced by DDI 1 in Tatkon, DDI 11 in Taikkyi, and DDI 22 Seikphyu of Pakokku District, Magway Region, with 5.5 mm, 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, and 9 mm bullets manufactured primarily by DDI 9, and partially DDI 2. 

Heavy weapons and artillery parts are produced by DDI 8 in Sin Paung Wae and DDI 7 in Pyay Township of Bago Region. Grenades are manufactured by DDI 7, while DDI 10 in Upper Minhla of Thayet District, Magway Region, produces rockets for vehicle-mounted Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS).

In Magway Region, 60 mm, 81 mm, and 120 mm mortar bombs are made at DDI 12 in Thayet and DDI 15 in Aunglan, while DDI 20 in Sidoktaya produces 25-30 mm anti-aircraft cannons.

The bombs used in airstrikes that have killed nearly 3,500 civilians since the 2021 coup, as documented in the Blood Money Campaign’s report “Close the Sky,” were manufactured at DDI 3 in Sin Te of Bago Region and DDI 21 in Seikphyu of Magway Region. 

Tayza, who worked for 10 years at a DDI factory, revealed that while the military relies on domestic materials for production, some are still being imported from countries friendly with the regime in Naypyidaw such as China and Russia.

The factories, built with assistance from foreign technicians and operated by graduates of the Defence Services Technological Academy (DSTA), employ soldiers and civilians from nearby villages. Each factory spans thousands of acres and employs between 500–1,000 staff members, all of which are under tight security.

“Each factory is divided into eight sectors, with outposts set up about three miles away to provide perimeter security. Given the current situation, I believe they’re armed. There’s around-the-clock security at the factory’s main gate and central checkpoints. If a conflict breaks out, they won’t defend the factory—they’ll flee,” added Tayza.

Arakan Army and military fighting near Rakhine State; Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army still holds Lashio

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A building inside the Western Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in Ann Township, Arakan State, burns before the Arakan Army seized it from the regime on Dec. 20. (Credit: AA)

Arakan Army and military fighting near Rakhine State

The Arakan Army (AA) announced on Monday that intense fighting between it and the military is taking place near Arakan State in areas bordering Bago, Magway and Ayeyarwady regions. The AA added that it has been engaged in battle with Light Infantry Divisions 88 and 99, along with troops from the weapons factories in Magway Region, since Jan. 11. 

“The military’s offensive in the Arakan Yoma [Rakhine Mountain Range], as well as Bago and Magway regions, seems to be to protect its weapons factories and to regain control of the Western Regional Military Command. They are likely attempting to secure the factories by establishing defensive lines near the Bago and Magway borders [with Arakan],” said a political analyst on the condition of anonymity. 

The regime’s Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI) operates 25 weapons factories with 15 located in Magway Region and seven in Bago Region. The AA claimed that the military has suffered significant casualties and has retreated several times from the frontline in Arakan. This has left behind numerous dead soldiers, along with their weapons, ammunition and supplies. 

Fighting between the AA and the military in Arakan is happening in Kamingan (Kammyinkan), Paneyaysan, and Kyakyesan villages of Ann Township, as well as along the Ann-Padan road which connects Arakan to Magway. In Ayeyarwady, fighting was reported at Point 369 Hill near Chinsu village of Yekyi Township. The AA has 14 out of 17 Arkan townships under its control. The state capital Sittwe, the vital port town of Kyaukphyu, and the island of Manaung remain under regime control.  

Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army still holds Lashio

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) told DVB that retreating from Lashio Township was not outlined in the China-brokered ceasefire agreement it signed with the regime in Naypyidaw on Jan. 18. Lashio is located 107 miles (172 km) south of the Burma-China border town of Muse, in northern Shan State, and 243 miles (391 km) north of the Shan State capital Taunggyi in southern Shan.

“We have not received any order to retreat and continue to remain in Lashio. The town is operating normally,” an MNDAA source told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Rumors of the MNDAA retreating from Lashio spread on social media after it signed the ceasefire with the regime, which walked out of the first-round of talks last month because the MNDAA refused to relinquish control of Lashio.

The MNDAA took full control of Lashio after it seized the Northeastern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters on Aug. 3. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the ceasefire between the regime and the MNDAA after both sides met for a second round of talks in Kunming on Jan. 16. No details of the ceasefire agreement have been reported by regime media. 

News by Region 

Kanan village in Khampat town of Tamu Township, Sagaing Region, was hit by an airstrike on Jan. 16. (Credit: CJ)

SAGAING—Another airstrike was carried out by the Burma Air Force on Khampat town of Tamu Township on Monday, BBC reported. This is the second airstrike on Khampat, located 242 miles (389 km) northwest of the regional capital Sagaing, since the National Unity Government (NUG) announced plans to establish its first ministerial offices in Sagaing. 

“Two fighter jets dropped bombs,” said an anonymous source in Khampat. Phone and internet services have been disrupted, so the number of casualties is unknown. On Jan. 16, airstrikes on Khampat town and Kanan village killed two, including an infant, with at least seven injured. Khampat, located near the Burma-India border, has been under NUG control since November 2023.

SHAN—The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) stated that a woman was killed, two others were injured, and two buildings were destroyed by airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force on Nawnghkio town, on Tuesday. Nawnghkio is located 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Mandalay in northern Shan State. 

“An elderly woman was killed instantly as the bombs landed twice onto an administration office,” a Nawnghkio resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Some Nawnghkio residents, who had fled their homes due to fighting, returned to the town while others are sheltering temporarily in the fields outside of town. Nawnghkio came under TNLA control on July 10.  

KACHIN—Two civilians, including a Chinese national, were killed when the Burma Army dropped bombs from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone, on a banana plantation along the Myitkyina-Bhamo Road in Waingmaw Township, located 17 miles (28 km) east of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, on Monday.

“The military thought there were [Kachin Independence Army] soldiers there, so they conducted a drone strike,” a Waingmaw resident told DVB. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and its allied resistance groups, launched an offensive to take the southern Kachin city of Bhamo, 105 miles (169 km) south of Myitkyina, on Dec. 4. The KIA launched its statewide offensive against the regime on March 7.  

NAYPYIDAW—Regime Minister of Information Maung Maung Ohn said on Tuesday that the media should not cover news that could be deemed harmful to the military. He said that all forces resisting the regime, which seized power after the 2021 coup, are considered “terrorist groups.” He added that legal action will be taken against anyone caught supporting them. 

The regime has banned the publication of 10 books with “obscene content” for LGBTQ+ themes. It has threatened to prosecute online content creators for sharing videos that may be deemed harmful to Burmese culture. The publishing licenses of at least 11 book publishers, 15 media outlets, eight printing services, and one magazine, have been revoked by the regime since 2021. 

(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,620 MMK)

Film fundraiser for Myanmar IDPs in Chiang Mai, Thailand

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A film fundraiser for the 3.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar was held at Chiang Mai University (CMU) Communications Innovation Center (CIC) on Jan. 20. (Credit: DVB)

A film fundraising event for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar, who have had to flee their homes due to conflict, was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Monday. The films “Wide Awake,” starring Min Maw Kunn, and “Together,” starring members of the resistance to the 2021 military coup, were screened at the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Faculty of Mass Communications.

“All of the costs [associated with the film screenings] were proudly covered by Together Productions. One hundred percent of all proceeds from [the] event will be donated to IDPs,” said Min Maw Kun, a Myanmar actor and musician.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many people at first. I’m very grateful to the fans who came to the theatre,” said Sai Zat, an official from Together Productions. Organizers told DVB that nearly 28 million MMK ($6,034 USD) was raised for IDPs in Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway regions from the film screenings on Jan. 20.

Myanmar actor and musician Min Maw Kun at Chiang Mai University (CMU) Communications Innovation Center (CIC) for the film fundraising event on Jan. 20. (Credit: DVB)

Hospital in Karenni State performs nearly 500 surgeries in 2024

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The 0-1 Medical Team performs a surgery on a patient at its hospital in a resistance-controlled area of Karenni State in an undated photo. (Credit: O-1 Medical Team)

The O-1 Medical Team, a healthcare service offered in the resistance-controlled areas of Karenni State, announced on Sunday that its hospital had performed a total of 499 major surgeries, including 195 emergency surgeries, in 2024. 

“We used to warn patients and their guardians that their lives may be in danger at any time not because of the surgeries but because of the regime’s airstrikes,” Soe Yan Naing, a O-1 surgeon, told DVB. 

“There was one time that we, including the patient who received surgery inside the operating room, had to run toward the bunker due to airstrikes.” 

The O-1 Medical Team stated on Jan. 19 that it had treated over 4,000 people injured in the fighting between resistance and regime forces, or for existing health issues. 

“We have been facing many difficulties and challenges, running the hospital and providing medical support to the people, but we promise that we will continue our good work in 2025 with the help of donors inside and outside of the country,” added Soe Yan Naing.  

The O-1 Medical Team also provides care at two clinics, where internally displaced persons (IDPs) and members of the resistance can receive free medical treatment four days per week. It stated 614.7 million MMK ($136,602 USD) was spent on maintaining its medical services in 2024. 

Medical students at the University of Medicines (1) Yangon Students’ Union established O-1 Medical Team in May 2021 following the violent crackdown on peaceful anti-coup protests by the military. 

Its members, who had joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) following the Feb. 1, 2021 coup, fled to Karenni State and opened the first O-1 clinic before establishing a hospital on May 24, 2021. 

“There were 20 people when we started operating the hospital. But now, we have over 50 people running [operations],” said an O-1 Medical Team spokesperson.

The O-1 Medical Team, along with Nway Oo Kyan Mar Clinic and We Support Heroes, launched a fundraising campaign from May 31 to June 30 last year called “Project Jivaka.” 

It aimed to collect 300 million MMK ($64,655 USD) to allow the three local groups to continue providing free access to medical care to the IDPs and members of the Karenni resistance.

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