Residents along Irrawaddy River flee Myanmar Navy fleet
Residents of villages and towns located along the Irrawaddy River, including Htigyaing Township of Sagaing Region, told DVB that thousands have fled their homes after the People’s Defence Force (PDF) warned them about incoming Burma Navy vessels travelling upstream towards Kachin State on Thursday.
There are two combat vessels, two landing craft and 22 cargo boats, according to a resident who spoke to DVB on the condition of anonymity. Htigyaing is located 187 miles (300 km) north of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa and 129 miles (207 km) southwest of Kachin State’s Bhamo, where the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has been fighting against regime forces over control of the town since Dec. 4.
Sources on the frontline in Bhamo told DVB that regime forces launched a counteroffensive against KIA-held areas around Theindawgyi Pagoda in Bhamo on July 17. Htigyaing is reportedly under regime control but fighting with the PDF began there in 2023. Residents of Htigyaing told DVB that the naval fleet carried hundreds of troops, rations, and ammunition.
Min Aung Hlaing attends Martyrs’ Day event in Yangon
Martyrs’ Day on July 19 commemorates the assassination of Aung San and six other cabinet members, as well as two officials, in 1947 – months before Burma gained independence from British rule on Jan. 4, 1948. Recognized as a national day of mourning, Martyrs’ Day is observed with a moment of silence or gestures of respect to those killed.
“We honour and remember all the martyrs who gave their lives for Burma’s independence, including my grandfather, General Aung San, and the countless individuals from diverse ethnic communities,” Kim Aris, the son of jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, said at an event held virtually by the National Unity Government (NUG) on Saturday.
Regime media reported that Min Aung Hlaing, held a ceremony on Saturday at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum in Yangon’s Bahan Township. This marked the first time the regime leader has attended a Martyrs’ Day event since the 2021 coup he led by ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) government. Read more
UN reiterates concerns over the plight of civilians
Nearly four months since the March 28 earthquake and the U.N. has reiterated its concerns over the plight of civilians during the conflict in Burma with at least 20 civilians killed in an airstrike on Wetlet Township of Sagaing Region on Thursday. It states that 6.3 million people – 11.5 percent of the population – are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance or protection.
“These incidents are part of a broader pattern of attacks affecting people across Myanmar,” said Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. “The U.N. urgently calls on all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law,” he added after an uptick in reports of civilians being killed, injured, or displaced by violence in July.
The U.N. reported that one in three people are now facing acute hunger in Burma, and the current monsoon season has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis as many quake survivors have been staying outdoors since March 28. The quake has killed at least 4,520 people and injured 11,366, according to DVB data. The regime places its toll at nearly 4,000 bodies recovered, with over 5,000 injured.
News by Region
MANDALAY—Pro-military social media accounts claimed that regime forces launched a counteroffensive on July 13 to re-take control of Mogok, which was seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on July 23, 2024 and is located 124 miles (200 km) northeast of Mandalay.
“[Mogok] town is operating normally. It is uneasy to flee to another town. People from Mogok are being targeted by the military because we welcomed the resistance forces [when they arrived last year] with flowers,” a resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Read more
Residents told DVB that the TNLA took six parents of conscription-aged males, and four others, during a meeting in Bawlongyi village of Mogok on July 17. The TNLA started compiling lists of 18 to 45 year-old residents in Mogok for mandatory service in its armed forces in March.
“Since the children were away for work, they took their parents [instead],” a relative of one of the residents taken by the TNLA told DVB. The TNLA claimed that the six parents would be released in exchange for their children. DVB contacted the TNLA for comment but didn’t get a response.
MON—The Ramanya Joint Military Column, formed by four armed resistance groups, has been disbanded after just six months of operations. The joint column was established on Jan. 19 and was officially dissolved on June 19, after completing an initial four-month mission.
“With the formation of the new Ramanya Mon Army. Discussions are ongoing about the future structure and cooperation of the forces,” said Nai Banyar Mon, a member of the New Mon State Party – Anti-Dictatorship (NMSP-AD), who had taken part in the joint column. Read more
SAGAING—At least 20 civilians were killed and an unknown number were injured by airstrikes on three villages in Wetlet Township of Sagaing Region on Thursday, according to the Wetlet Information Network. Wetlet is located 50 miles (80 km) east of the region’s capital Monywa.
“[The Air Force] dropped many bombs onto three villages in the [town],” Nagarlay, the spokesperson of Wetlet Information Network told DVB. He added that the death toll is likely to increase as some of the injured civilians are in critical condition. Read more
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