Hello everyone,
From this moment on, we will be presenting m.CDM’s domestic news.
Today’s news includes the following:
- Fighting for control of Katha town continues to intensify, with indiscriminate artillery shelling by the Military Council causing fires in outskirts neighborhoods and nearby villages.
- The Military Council carried out artillery, drone, and air strikes in Kyaukgyi, Mone, Ye-U, Myitche, and Kyaukhtu, killing two civilians, including children, and injuring at least eight others.
- In Hlaingbwe Township, the Military Council conducted airstrikes on two former BGF camps that had switched allegiance to the KNA, killing one person and injuring six.
- At the International Court of Justice (ICJ), hearings on the Rohingya genocide case have begun, with evidence presented implicating the Myanmar military and extremist monks Wirathu and Sitagu.
- Evidence of war crimes committed by the Military Council in Chin State, including the gang rape of a pregnant woman and the killing of 10 people—among them a journalist and a child—has been formally submitted in Timor-Leste.
- In KNU Mu Traw District, Military Council human rights violations in 2025 resulted in 8 civilian deaths and 38 injuries, while 1,113 clashes occurred and 284 junta troops were killed.
- The Military Council is discussing legal amendments to abolish courtroom oath-taking before trials, with the junta-appointed justice minister stating that judges do not need to swear oaths daily.
- The Arakan Public Health Department has announced admissions for the Arakan Medical Academy.
We will now begin with the first news item.
⸻ - Fierce Fighting Continues for Control of Katha; Junta Artillery Causes Fires in Outskirts and Villages
m.CDM – January 13
Fighting for control of Katha town in upper Sagaing Region continues to intensify. According to the Kachin News Group, indiscriminate artillery shelling by the Military Council’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 309 has caused fires in several outskirts neighborhoods and nearby villages.
Joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and PDFs launched their offensive on Katha on December 26, and the fighting has now lasted 19 days, with clashes still ongoing.
According to the latest situation, the Military Council is using LIB 309, based in the Kyantaw and Pyitharyar wards on the western side of Katha, as its main defensive headquarters. The junta reportedly retains control only over the police station, the General Administration Office, and a few urban wards.
On the morning of January 13, artillery shells fired from LIB 309 landed in Zaytikone and Peinneikone villages north of Katha, setting several houses on fire, according to local residents.
These villages are located within Ward 8, approximately a 10-minute motorcycle ride from downtown Katha. Details regarding casualties and damage remain unknown.
At the same time as the shelling, a Y-8 aircraft reportedly conducted two supply drops of ammunition and rations to LIB 309.
Revolutionary forces warned civilians to remain vigilant, as the Military Council has been heavily using suicide drones, artillery, and airstrikes throughout the clashes.
Although many residents fled when news of the town-capture battle first emerged in early December, some civilians reportedly still remain in certain neighborhoods of Katha.
Revolutionary joint forces currently control Mawlu, Indaw, and Banmauk—towns along the Sagaing–Kachin border—and continue their offensive to capture Katha as well.
⸻ - Junta Air, Drone, and Artillery Attacks Kill Two Civilians, Injure at Least Eight
m.CDM – January 13
The Military Council carried out drone, artillery, and air attacks in Kyaukgyi and Mone townships (KNU-controlled territory in Nyaunglebin District, Bago Region), Ye-U Township (Sagaing Region), and Myitche town and Kyaukhtu sub-township (Magway Region).
Ah Han, [1/13/2026 11:40 PM]
On January 11 at 11:40 a.m., junta forces based in Natthangwin dropped two drone bombs on Phota Village in Kyaukgyi Township, killing 40-year-old Daw Than Kywal, according to the KNU.
At 12:10 p.m., the same unit fired two 120mm artillery shells at Shwetaisuu Village, injuring Saw Pha La, destroying one house, and wounding two cattle.
Similarly, on January 10 at 10:45 a.m., junta forces dropped seven drone bombs on Kinmunchaung Village in Mone Township, injuring Daw Khin Mar Oo (57), U Htay Myint (56), and Ma Su Mon Aung (😎.
In Ye-U Township, a Yak-130 jet fighter bombed Pintsaykhin Village on January 3 at 2:00 p.m., killing an 8-year-old child and injuring three civilians.
Meanwhile, villages near Myitche town in Pakokku Township were bombed by junta jet fighters on January 13 and 14, injuring two civilians.
⸻ - Junta Airstrikes on Two Former BGF Camps in Hlaingbwe Kill One, Injure Six
m.CDM – January 13
The Military Council carried out airstrikes on Udaung Camp and Thaikhtaw Camp, two former BGF camps in Hlaingbwe Township, Hpa-An District, Karen State, on the afternoon of January 12, killing one person and injuring six, according to Karen military sources.
The attack began after 3:00 p.m., with two bombs dropped in the first strike, followed by two more bombs about an hour later. Kamikaze drones were also used twice simultaneously.
Among the injured were three civilians and four BGF members; one BGF member was killed.
The camps were under BGF Tactical Commands 2 and 3, which switched allegiance to the Karen National Army (KNA) on January 1 after refusing to accept junta salaries. This marks the first time such BGF camps have been directly targeted.
The incident reflects escalating tensions between the Military Council and former BGF units, as Tactical Commands 1 and 4 remain aligned with the junta.
⸻ - ICJ Begins Hearings on Rohingya Genocide Case; Evidence Implicates Military and Extremist Monks
m.CDM – January 13
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) began substantive hearings on January 12 in the case brought by The Gambia accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against Rohingya Muslims, according to international media.
The hearings will run from January 12 to 29, aiming to determine whether Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. This is the first full genocide hearing at the ICJ in over a decade.
Gambia’s Justice Minister Dawda Jallow, in his opening statement, emphasized that the Rohingya were deliberately targeted for destruction, describing their lives as having been turned into a “nightmare” through extreme violence and devastation.
Gambia’s lawyer Arsalan Suleman presented evidence linking the Myanmar military under Min Aung Hlaing and extremist monks associated with Ma Ba Tha, citing the UN Fact-Finding Mission’s 2018 report, particularly regarding Wirathu and Sitagu.
Wirathu reportedly visited Rakhine State in 2016, met with military officers, routinely used dehumanizing language toward Rohingya, and was awarded the “Thiri Pyanchi” honor by Min Aung Hlaing on January 4, 2023.
A sermon by Sitagu Sayadaw was also presented as evidence, in which he allegedly stated that killing non-Buddhists was not sinful and compared them to animals.
⸻ - Evidence of Chin State War Crimes Submitted in Timor-Leste
m.CDM – January 13
The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) submitted a criminal complaint to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Timor-Leste on January 12, on behalf of victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Military Council.
The complaint calls for an investigation under universal jurisdiction, emphasizing Timor-Leste’s legal authority to prosecute such crimes.
Evidence presented by a delegation led by CHRO Executive Director Salai Za Uk includes:
• The gang rape of a pregnant woman
Ah Han, [1/13/2026 11:40 PM]
- The mass killing of 10 people, including a journalist and a 13-year-old child (with eight victims beheaded)
• The targeted killing of a Christian pastor and three deacons
• An airstrike on a hospital, killing four medical staff and four patients
• Repeated attacks on Christian churches
All crimes occurred in Chin State. Salai Za Uk described the junta’s actions as “deliberate, systematic, widespread, indiscriminate, and disproportionate violence against civilians.”
Since July 2022, more than 1,000 airstrikes have been recorded in Chin State. Over 4,600 homes were destroyed, 478 civilians were killed (including 91 women and 79 children), and 19 hospitals, 25 schools, and 127 religious buildings—including 78 churches—were damaged or destroyed.
Senior Timorese prosecutor Jose Teixeira stated that the case would place minimal burden on Timor-Leste’s judicial system, noting that CHRO’s evidence is well-documented and corroborated, with additional verified evidence available from the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).
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- Junta Human Rights Violations in KNU Mu Traw District in 2025
m.CDM – January 13
In KNU Mu Traw District (Brigade 5 area), Military Council human rights violations in 2025 resulted in the deaths of 8 civilians and injuries to 38 others, according to a KNU statement.
From January 1 to December 31, 2025, the junta carried out:
• 50 drone bombings
• 103 jet fighter attacks
• 69 artillery attacks (122mm, 120mm, 60mm)
targeting civilian villages and livelihoods.
These attacks destroyed homes, farms, schools, churches, monasteries, and killed livestock.
During the same period, 1,113 clashes occurred between junta forces and KNLA Brigade 5, resulting in 284 junta soldiers killed and 459 injured, with 16 military facilities destroyed.
Among the dead were one G3-level officer, one battalion commander, two majors, one captain, one sergeant major, and one corporal.
The KNLA also acknowledged that some of its fighters made the ultimate sacrifice for the country and people.
⸻ - Junta Considers Removing Mandatory Oath-Taking Before Trials
m.CDM – January 13
The Military Council’s Ministry of Legal Affairs in Naypyidaw discussed amending the law on January 5 so that judges would no longer be required to swear an oath or affirmation at the start of every court session, according to junta-controlled media.
Supreme Court judge Daw Thin Thin Nwe argued that daily oath-taking is not practically necessary and is not required internationally.
Junta-appointed Justice Minister Dr. Thida Oo stated that judges already swear an oath upon assuming office, making daily repetition unnecessary.
Currently, Section 23(g)(2) of the Union Judiciary Law mandates oath-taking at every court session.
Legal observers criticized the move as an attempt to allow judges greater freedom to issue arbitrary rulings, noting that judges previously swore to uphold justice under the 2008 Constitution and feared consequences for violating that oath.
⸻ - Arakan Public Health Department Announces Admissions for Arakan Medical Academy
m.CDM – January 13
The Arakan Public Health Department has opened applications for admission to the Arakan Medical Academy, aiming to train a new generation of doctors.
The medical program will last seven years. Selected students must complete the full course and sign an agreement to work for the Arakan Public Health Department after graduation.
Applicants must be under 25 years old. Both residents inside Arakan and those currently outside the region may apply.
Eligible applicants include those who passed BECA (Biology track) after 2022 or achieved strong scores on the GED examination, provided they meet the specified qualifications.
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The news presented today was contributed by Ko Thit, Lu Lay, and Khur Shel.
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