Report uncovers China’s role in military bomb production
A new report published today by the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) called Factory of Death: China’s Support for the Myanmar Military’s Production of Aerial Bombs examines the essential role of a Chinese state-owned company in enabling the Myanmar military to manufacture aerial bombs at the Defence Industry (DI) 21, known in Burmese as KaPaSa.
The SAC-M report’s findings, based on leaked and open-source materials, highlight that DI 21 has been manufacturing the majority of the nation’s aerial bombs since its inception in 2004, including general purpose, special purpose, and domestically designed cluster munitions. These bombs, particularly domestically-produced 250-kg aerial bombs, continue to be used in airstrikes carried out by the Air Force.
Support from China South Industries Group Corporation, a state-owned Chinese arms company, principally through its fully owned subsidiary Hunan Vanguard, are essential to establishing and sustaining the majority of bomb production at DI 21. This assistance would have required export control permits from Chinese state authorities, indicating authorisation by the government in Beijing.
“China South is a state-owned company—it answers to the government of China,” said Yanghee Lee, a founding member of SAC-M and human rights expert on Burma. “By providing aerial bombs and technical production assistance to the [DI 21], China South is complicit in the junta’s grave violations against civilians. China must immediately end all support for Myanmar military arms manufacturing.”
Russia at talks on India–Myanmar trade route
Regime media reported that Naypyidaw and Moscow discussed expanding the trade route connecting ports in India’s Mumbai to Yangon at a meeting on Monday, without providing further details. The regime Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Communications Mya Tun Oo led the meeting with Alexander Sergeevich Shatirov, the director of Fund RC-Investments.
The construction of a solar-powered plant through cooperation with Russia’s Fund RC-Investments, fertilizer import, the promotion of electronic trading, as well as sharing of earthquake-resistant construction methods and further work plans were also reportedly discussed. Four other regime ministers, a deputy minister, as well as departmental officials were also at the meeting in Naypyidaw on July 14.
Naypyidaw and Moscow signed an investment agreement on June 20 for projects, including in the Dawei Special Economic Zone, where a 660-megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant is being developed. The CEO of Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom said on March 4 that a 100-megawatt nuclear power plant project would be built near Naypyidaw.
Airstrike during counteroffensive kills six in Mandalay Region
Residents of Mandalay Region told DVB that six civilians, including five children, were killed in an airstrike carried out by the Air Force on Poezanwe village of Thabeikkyin Township on Monday. Thabeikkyin, located 90 miles (144 km) north of the region’s capital Mandalay, came under People’s Defence Force (PDF) and its allied resistance forces’ control in August.
“The youngest killed was just four months old,” a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the defunct armed wing of the Communist Party of Burma revived after the 2021 coup, told DVB. The PLA member added that the bomb struck inside the trench where the victims were hiding during the airstrike. The regime launched a counteroffensive to retake Thabeikkyin in March.
Shwe Phee Myay news agency reported on Sunday that regime troops recaptured 4-Mile village near Thabeikkyin town on July 12. The resistance forces seized most of Thabeikkyin in August but the Advanced Training Depot 13 near Twinnge village, the Basic Military Training Camp 2 in 7-Mile village, and technical units stationed in Kyaukkyi village remain under regime control.
News by Region
KARENNI—Residents of Mawchi told DVB that six civilians were killed and three others were injured in an airstrike carried out by the Burma Air Force on Hpasawng Township on Monday. Mawchi is located 84 miles (135 km) southeast of the state capital Loikaw.
“Five women were killed instantly and one man was killed on the way to hospital,” Banyar Aung, the Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC) second secretary, told DVB. One civilian was injured and two homes were destroyed by an airstrike on Demoso July 14.
SHAN—Sources on the frontline in northern Shan State told DVB that regime forces have reached the outskirts of Nawnghkio, which is located 96 miles (154 km) south of the regional capital Lashio. It came under Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) control on July 10, 2024.
“I think [TNLA] is going to lose Nawnghkio very soon,” Zin Yaw, a Burma Army defector, told DVB. The regime counteroffensive is reportedly using heavy weapons to retake Nawnghkio, which is along the Mandalay–Lashio–Muse trade corridor linking Burma to China.
A source in the TNLA told DVB that a bridge connecting Nawnghkio to Kyaukme Township collapsed after it was bombed on Monday. Most Nawngkhio residents have fled their homes to neighbouring Kyaukme due to fighting between regime and resistance forces.
The TNLA source claimed that a counteroffensive led by regime forces had not reached Nawnghkio town. The Shan State Army (SSA) is reportedly helping residents reach Kyaukme, where one civilian has been killed and five injured by airstrikes July 8-13.
YANGON—Regime staff told DVB that Naypyidaw began training teachers in using electronic voting machines on Monday. A regime education staff told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the training period varies on the size of the township and number of teachers.
The training took two days with 130 teachers on each day in Latha Township, the source added. The region is home to 14 districts. The regime announced that the general elections will begin in December without giving further details on the timeline or candidate criteria.
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