Zaw Myint Maung family commemorates his life in US
The family of Zaw Myint Maung, the Mandalay Chief Minister and vice-chair of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party who was arrested after the 2021 military coup, commemorated his death in the U.S. state of Maryland on Sunday. Members of the National Unity Government (NUG) and Burma’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Kyaw Moe Tun were in attendance.
“We all need to follow the path that my father paved instead of mourning him. We are not reaching the goal [of democracy] that we want, but we all need to come together to reach that goal. The whole country, not just my family, has lost someone we loved at this time. The solution to overcome these circumstances is to achieve our objective,” Shwe Phyo Han, the son of Zaw Myint Maung, told DVB.
Zaw Myint Maung died of leukemia while receiving treatment at the Mandalay Hospital on Oct. 7, one day after the regime granted him an amnesty on medical grounds. He was serving a 29-year sentence at Obo Prison after being convicted on nine charges before his release. His funeral was held in Mandalay on Oct. 8.
Three civilians killed by airstrikes in northern Shan State
Three civilians were killed and 10 others were injured during airstrikes conducted by the Burma Air Force in Kutkai Township on Sunday. Kutkai is located 48 miles (77 km) north of Lashio, the largest city in northern Shan State. It was seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on Jan. 7.
“The bomb landed on a home beside a Chinese Christian church, killing three civilians including an infant instantly,” a Kutkai resident told DVB. Eight homes were also destroyed. National Air Scout, a pro-resistance group that monitors air traffic nationwide, claimed that the fighter jet which carried out the airstrikes on Kutkai had landed at Shante Airbase in Meiktila, Mandalay Region.
The TNLA claimed that five civilians were also injured and 15 homes were destroyed due to airstrikes that were carried out on Mongngaw town in Kyaukme Township, which is located around 97 miles (156 km) southwest of Lashio, on Monday. The TNLA urged residents in areas under its control to avoid public gatherings and to follow air defense notifications in order to stay alert about possible airstrikes.
Over 700 killed in last year, Arakan Army claims
A report released by the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) on Monday stated that 735 civilians have been killed and 1,529 have been injured by the military and Rohingya armed groups in Arakan State from Nov. 13, 2023 – when the AA launched its offensive – to Oct. 13. The ULA claimed that a total of 703 civilians have been arrested by pro-regime forces during the reporting period.
It added that 553,696 civilians are displaced from their homes due to armed conflict in Arakan. “The current humanitarian crisis faced by the local population in Arakan is unprecedented. Although the [military] has lost ground control in many townships across Arakan, the local population in liberated areas remains dangerously exposed to frequent indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery,” stated the ULA report.
The ULA claimed that it is collaborating with both local and international organizations to deliver emergency humanitarian assistance across Arakan. It added that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are in need of food, shelter, healthcare, and other life saving materials. Human rights groups have reported that the AA and the military have targeted Rohingya since fighting in northern Arakan intensified in May.
News by Region
MANDALAY—An unidentified assailant robbed a fuel station in Amarapura Township, located seven miles (11 km) southwest of Mandalay, on Sunday. “He came with a motorcycle and pretended to buy fuel. He then fired five bullets in the air and stole around 1.2 million kyat,” an Amarapura resident told DVB.
A source from the regime’s administration told DVB that robberies and murders frequently occur in the township despite an increased security presence. Amarapura residents claimed that police officers and soldiers inspected CCTV footage near the fuel station but have yet to catch the culprit.
SAGAING—A civilian was killed and two others were injured during airstrikes on Laiksintaung village, Kyunhla Township, on Sunday. The village is controlled by the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and is located near the Thaphanzeik reservoir, which is 136 miles (219 km) north of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa.
“There is no ongoing fighting at the moment. Many vehicles were destroyed in the fire as one of the bombs landed on a car workshop. Residents have fled the village in fear of more potential airstrikes,” a Laiksintaung resident told DVB.
SHAN—A source close to Win Hlaing, an NLD parliamentarian who represented Namtu Township in the Shan State Hluttaw before the 2021 coup, told DVB that he has been denied medical treatment since he was arrested by the TNLA on Sept. 2. Namtu is located 41 miles (66 km) northwest of Lashio.
“He is allowed to take a bath and clean his face once every 15 days. He has a fever and is unable to eat well because of stomach disease. His family members requested that treatment be provided to him but the TNLA will not allow it,” the source told DVB on the condition of anonymity. A total of 430 Namtu residents petitioned the TNLA to release Win Hlaing on Oct. 31.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,450 kyat)
DVB Chief Editor Aye Chan Naing shares his story with Insight Myanmar Podcast. Find DVB English News on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe to us on YouTube.
