Myanmar Conflict: Airstrikes, Ground Attacks, and Election Tensions Reported
As Myanmar’s military junta prepares for an upcoming election, opposition groups report a surge in violence and human rights violations across the country.
In the Sagaing Region, a junta aerial bombing in Taze Township left two civilians injured and damaged 18 homes. Opposition forces also reported attacks on military targets, including an operation in Shwebo that left seven soldiers dead and four captured. In a separate incident on the Mandalay-Monywa Road, three soldiers were killed and five injured after revolution forces attacked troops who were allegedly demanding money from the public.
According to data from the opposition National Unity Government (NUG), the military has conducted 3,744 airstrikes since the February 2021 coup, resulting in 4,135 fatalities. Recent strikes were reported in Hsipaw, Northern Shan State, damaging homes and religious structures, and in Namsam, where two children were killed and nine people, including six children, were injured.
On World Teachers’ Day, the acting president and prime minister of the NUG paid respect to educators protesting the coup. An event held in Mae Sot, Thailand, by the Myanmar Migrant Teachers’ Association was addressed by the NUG’s education minister. Meanwhile, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing issued a statement pledging to promote the education sector, calling for the application of technology, including AI, in universities.
Further protests against the military and its planned election took place internationally, with demonstrators gathering in front of San Francisco City Hall and in Seoul, South Korea.
In economic news, the junta’s Central Bank announced new measures to curb excess liquidity. State media also reported that 28 industrial zones are currently in operation, with five more quarters and two additional zone projects in progress.
