Myanmar Spring Chronicle – September 9
(MoeMKa) September 10, 2024
Continuous Airstrikes by the Military Junta
Airstrikes, especially bombings, have been continuously happening across Myanmar, in areas controlled by ethnic armed groups, following the visit of military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to Loikaw. Bombings have been reported almost daily in areas like Dimawso, Phaikone, Upper Magway, Lashio in Northern Shan, and Pauktaw in Rakhine State.
The junta’s airstrikes are not a new tactic. The military has long used air support in conflict zones to restrict the movement of enemies and target areas they believe host opposition forces. They bombed not only during active battles but also attacked camps, villages, and areas where they received intelligence about gatherings of armed forces. In some cases, these strikes hit civilian areas like Anan village in the Karenni region or Pazigyi village in Kanbalu Township, where civilians were present alongside armed groups.
Such significant incidents are common, with smaller-scale attacks occurring almost daily or weekly for years. However, the recent airstrikes have been more frequent and targeted, signifying a shift in military strategy. Over the past few days, numerous civilians in Karenni State, Northern Shan, Rakhine, and Northern Magway have died due to these airstrikes.
The military’s bombing of refugee camps and civilian areas like schools and monasteries, where civilians tend to gather, amounts to serious war crimes. These airstrikes on non-military targets, including refugee camps, have been witnessed more than once, and it raises the question of whether the junta is deliberately committing war crimes.
After declaring an alliance of three northern armed groups as terrorist organizations, the junta appears to have intensified its attacks. Meanwhile, China has pressured the ethnic armed groups, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), to push for a ceasefire. This raised suspicions that the junta gained China’s backing during the Chinese foreign minister’s August visit to Naypyidaw.
The junta, having lost ground in various regions, seems to be using airstrikes to destabilize newly acquired territories controlled by ethnic armed groups. They aim to disrupt governance in areas like Namkham, Lashio, Naungcho, Mogok, and Kyaukme, suggesting they want to create an impression of insecurity under the control of ethnic armed groups.
Despite international campaigns to block the junta’s access to aviation fuel, some countries may still be indirectly providing it, making it difficult to distinguish between aviation fuel for civilian airlines and military use. This has hindered efforts to effectively restrict the junta’s fuel supply.
Given that blocking aviation fuel hasn’t been effective, the next step could be enhancing air defense systems, raising awareness, preventing gatherings, and decentralizing schooling to avoid civilian areas from becoming bombing targets.
Additionally, there’s a need for quicker information dissemination about air raids in ethnic territories, such as those near air bases in Magway, Meiktila, and Tada-U. Sharing real-time intelligence with ethnic armed groups could improve their defense against the junta’s airstrikes.