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According to witnesses and Burmese media, at least 20 people were killed in the fighting between the militia and the Burmese security forces. This is the worst violent incident since opponents of the military government called for a “people’s defense war” this week.
The latest violence came as militants and anti-military forces urged the international community to take action on Saturday, saying that the lack of any “meaningful external intervention” led to armed resistance.
“Young people in Myanmar [have] There is no choice but to fight back with what they have,” the civil disobedience movement said in a statement earlier on Saturday, as it called on representatives of the United Nations and Southeast Asian countries to “direct contact” with the opposition national unity government. (NUG).
Before the UN General Assembly decided who would represent Myanmar as a special envoy, the opposition forces also launched a campaign this weekend to demand the recognition of the Myanmar government as a legitimate government representative.
The NUG, established to resist the army’s takeover on February 1, earlier called for resistance to military rule, apparently to coordinate groups fighting the army and persuade soldiers and state officials to change their positions.
Since the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, Myanmar has been in turmoil, which ended a decade of tentative democracy and sparked anger, strikes and protests across the country, as well as militia groups attacking security forces.
According to the Political Prisoners Aid Association, which monitors the human rights situation in Myanmar, at least 1,058 people have been killed since the beginning of the anti-military uprising. More than 6,300 people are still in detention.
According to reports, more people were arrested across the country on Saturday morning, including Yangon and Sagaing, the country’s largest city.
According to the media and an eyewitness, since Thursday, military and defense volunteers have allied with the coalition government in Myin Thar village, causing casualties to local militias and villagers after the army used heavy artillery.
“They fired cannons and burned down the houses in our village,” a 42-year-old resident said, adding that the 20 people included 3 children and his 17-year-old son, a member of the militia.
“I lost everything I had…I will not forgive them until the end of the world,” he told Reuters by phone, adding that he tried to recognize his son in the body.
Social media posts on Friday and Saturday also paid tribute to the victims, including young people who appeared to be underage.
According to reports, minors were killed
BBC Burmese said on Friday that 10 people were killed in Myin Thar in the Magway region of central Myanmar, while the Irrawaddy news website reported 17 casualties, including minors.
According to the Irrawaddy, military spokesman Jomin Tun confirmed that there was fighting in Magway. The spokesperson did not answer a call from Reuters seeking comment.
On Thursday, when the military government clashed with local resistance fighters in Dantlang, Chin State, four civilians were injured, including a 9-month-old child. Some houses were damaged and residents were forced to flee their homes. #Myanmar what happened pic.twitter.com/Nqih9pod0N
-Irrawaddy River (English) (@IrrawaddyNews) September 10, 2021
After calling on the shadow government to retaliate nationwide on Tuesday, Myanmar’s neighbors urged all parties to exercise restraint.
Some analysts warned that the move could backfire and complicate the opposition’s efforts to win international support. But the opposition said the lack of international support has prompted activists and others to take the matter into their own hands.
The Irrawaddy also reported the death of three soldiers in Yangon, the largest city, on Thursday.
News reports also stated that the conflict broke out on Thursday and continued later on Friday in Thantlang, Chin State, which borders India.
Radio Free Asia and Mizzima News Agency stated that the military carried out air strikes. There are no reports of casualties.
The NUG Secretary of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation of the incident on Thursday and Friday.
Reuters was unable to verify reports of the conflict, and the state-run MRTV did not mention it in its evening news briefing.
The military strictly controls information, and its media has always been selective in reporting the unrest.
On Tuesday, about 12 military-owned communications towers were destroyed. On the same day, a shadow government dedicated to reversing the coup called for a “people’s defense war against the military government”.
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