Good day, everyone. Welcome to m.CDM’s domestic news bulletin.
Here are today’s top stories:
- Heavy fighting continues in Mogok and Indaw areas as Myanmar’s military junta launches airstrikes.
- At least 117 civilians, including children under 18, have been killed by the military junta in Magway Region this year.
- The Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) and the Spring Revolution Alliance (SRA) hold their second round of discussions.
- U.S. government representatives and Myanmar’s military junta reportedly hold another secret meeting in Tokyo.
We will also bring you other important developments from across Myanmar.
- Heavy Fighting in Momeik and Indaw as Myanmar Junta Intensifies Airstrikes
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
Heavy fighting has been reported between Myanmar’s military junta and revolutionary forces near Momeik in northern Shan State and across parts of Indaw, Wuntho, and Htigyaing townships in Sagaing Region.
According to local reports, fighting resumed early on October 16 near Nyaung Ni village, approximately two miles from Momeik town.
Clashes have also intensified near Sintae Kone village along the Momeik–Thabeikkyin road, where junta forces have reportedly carried out heavy aerial bombardments.
Fighting between junta troops and allied forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) began on September 28. Although the clashes subsided during the first week of October, hostilities have since intensified.
Residents of Momeik and Mabein are closely monitoring military developments and fleeing to safer locations. At least two civilians have reportedly been killed in recent airstrikes.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting continues in Sagaing Region as two junta military columns advance from Indaw Township toward Wuntho and Htigyaing.
Resistance sources say the columns entered the area in early October, each consisting of approximately 200 to 300 soldiers.
The column advancing toward Wuntho has reportedly passed through Maeza and Tat Lwin villages, where fighting remains intense.
The second column, heading toward Htigyaing, reportedly conducted airstrikes on Kyein Chaung and Pein Inn villages on October 16 while attempting to advance.
The ongoing fighting and airstrikes have forced large numbers of residents from surrounding villages to flee their homes.
According to resistance sources, the offensives are being personally directed by the deputy commander of the junta’s 33rd Light Infantry Division. Many of the soldiers involved are reportedly newly recruited conscripts, including individuals forcibly recruited into military service. - Resistance Forces Attack Junta Temporary Base in Nyaung-U, Report Military Casualties
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
Joint resistance forces raided a temporary military base operated by Myanmar’s junta along the Byatta–Pansat road in Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, reportedly inflicting casualties on junta troops.
The Popa Guerrilla Force announced that the operation took place on the morning of October 11.
According to the group, junta soldiers were killed or wounded during the attack, although the exact number of casualties was not disclosed.
The operation was jointly conducted by the Popa Guerrilla Force (Popa-PGF), the Nyaung-U Township People’s Defense Organization, district battalions, and the Sagawa PDF.
Following the attack, resistance groups warned local residents to exercise extreme caution when traveling near junta military positions and along roads used by military personnel, as further clashes could occur. - At Least 117 Civilians, Including 19 Children, Killed by Myanmar Junta in Magway Region This Year
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
At least 117 civilians, including children under the age of 18, have been killed by Myanmar’s military junta in Magway Region since the beginning of 2026, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
AAPP reported that between January 1 and October 15, it had verified the identities of 117 people killed by junta forces in Magway Region.
The victims included 43 women and 74 men, among them 19 children under the age of 18.
Of the total confirmed deaths, 57 people were killed in military airstrikes.
AAPP also stated that it had collected information on an additional 150 civilian deaths during the same period, but those cases remain under verification.
Nationwide, AAPP reported that 8,551 pro-democracy activists and civilians had been killed by the military junta and its affiliates between the February 1, 2021, coup and October 15, 2026. - SCEF and Spring Revolution Alliance Hold Second Round of Talks
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
The Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) and the Spring Revolution Alliance (SRA) have held their second round of discussions, according to an announcement by SCEF.
The online meeting took place at approximately 5 p.m. on October 15.
Acting President Duwa Lashi La, a member of SCEF’s Strategic and Policy Leadership Group, delivered the opening remarks.
SCEF Secretariat member Padoh Saw Taw Nee Moo then presented an overview of the council’s political processes, followed by questions and discussions between representatives of both organizations.
SRA General Secretary Ko Saung Kha delivered the closing remarks.
The two organizations previously met in July, when they discussed expanding cooperation, including military coordination.
However, SCEF did not disclose the specific topics discussed during the latest meeting.
SCEF leaders also attended the opening of the SRA conference in late September.
Following that conference, the SRA reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with allied revolutionary organizations to end dictatorship and establish a federal democratic system in Myanmar. - NUG Foreign Minister Calls for Strategic Unity and Coordinated Action to Achieve Spring Revolution’s Goals
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung has emphasized that the success of the Spring Revolution depends on strategic unity and coordinated cooperation across military, political, diplomatic, financial, and alliance-building efforts.
In a social media statement reflecting on her recent international engagements and the challenges facing Myanmar’s revolution, she stressed the importance of pursuing common objectives across different sectors.
She cited several examples of international cooperation, including the campaign in New York to preserve Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun’s credentials as Myanmar’s representative to the United Nations.
She also highlighted SCEF activities during her visit to Australia, efforts to maintain the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw’s (CRPH) representation at the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Tanzania, and discussions at the Forum 2000 conference in Prague, Czech Republic.
According to Daw Zin Mar Aung, these initiatives demonstrate how different areas of the revolutionary movement can reinforce one another.
She also urged the public to distinguish between verified facts, reliable sources, and speculation before accepting or sharing information about the revolution.
She warned that emotionally charged reports and unsupported claims could create fear, mistrust, and hopelessness among the public, potentially benefiting the military junta’s psychological warfare campaigns.
At the same time, she emphasized that criticism and expressions of concern about the revolution should not automatically be dismissed as psychological warfare.
Evidence-based criticism, she said, is essential for identifying weaknesses, correcting mistakes, and improving decision-making.
Reflecting on the Forum 2000 conference in Prague, Daw Zin Mar Aung said participants recognized the courage of Myanmar’s revolutionary movement, particularly young people, protest groups, and citizens who continue to resist military rule.
She also highlighted calls for continued international attention to Myanmar and for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
However, she stressed that international solidarity must go beyond statements of support and translate into practical assistance for people struggling on the ground, along with effective pressure on the junta.
She called on revolutionary forces to remain united until military dictators relinquish power and the people of Myanmar can freely determine their own future.
Daw Zin Mar Aung concluded that building a new federal democratic nation based on freedom, justice, equality, and human dignity would be the most meaningful tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives and futures for the revolution. - Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Condemns Junta Prisons and Interrogation Centers as Sites of Systematic Torture
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, has condemned the military junta’s prisons and interrogation centers as places where innocent civilians are systematically tortured and abused.
Speaking during an interactive dialogue of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs on October 15, the ambassador said these facilities serve as instruments of repression rather than legitimate detention centers.
He reminded the international community that Myanmar’s democratically elected leaders have remained in detention since the illegal military coup in February 2021.
According to the ambassador, more than 32,000 people have been arbitrarily arrested and detained since the coup.
Among those subjected to severe abuse are students, journalists, politicians, civil society leaders, and peaceful protesters.
He stated that more than 1,850 people had died following their arrests as a result of severe torture or denial of medical treatment.
Some families received the severely disfigured bodies of their detained relatives, while others never received their loved ones’ remains.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun emphasized that these abuses are not isolated acts by individual military personnel but part of a systematic campaign that constitutes crimes against humanity.
He urged the international community to take meaningful action to end the junta’s impunity and ensure accountability for those responsible.
The ambassador also stressed that Myanmar’s people urgently need concrete international support and effective measures against the military regime, rather than expressions of concern alone. - U.S. and Myanmar Military Junta Reportedly Hold Second Secret Meeting in Tokyo
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
Representatives of the United States government and Myanmar’s military junta reportedly held secret talks in Tokyo, Japan, last week, according to a Reuters report published on October 16.
The meeting marked the second round of direct discussions within a month between Washington and Myanmar’s military leadership, whose diplomatic relations with the United States have been severely restricted since the 2021 coup.
According to Reuters, more than ten U.S. officials attended the Tokyo meeting, led by Michael Vance, the U.S. State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research.
The identities of the Myanmar military representatives and the specific subjects discussed have not been confirmed.
The first meeting reportedly took place in Naypyidaw in mid-September.
Those discussions primarily focused on securing the release of an American businessman detained in Myanmar and combating online scam operations run by criminal networks.
Reuters reported that the initial talks also opened the possibility of broader discussions involving Myanmar’s natural resources, including rare-earth minerals.
Hunter Marston, Southeast Asia director at the Australia-based Lowy Institute, said the United States views Myanmar’s critical minerals and rare-earth resources as strategically important.
However, many of Myanmar’s rare-earth mining areas are controlled by ethnic revolutionary organizations fighting the junta, while China’s strong influence in the sector presents additional challenges for Washington.
The U.S. State Department has stated that it engages with all relevant parties in Myanmar on matters affecting American interests.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government reportedly lifted sanctions last week against the daughter of a business tycoon associated with Myanmar’s military.
The State Department described the move as part of a new policy approach toward Myanmar.
Japan, which hosted the latest discussions, has not formally recognized Myanmar’s military regime.
Nevertheless, Reuters noted signs of increased engagement between Tokyo and the junta.
These developments have raised questions about whether Washington is gradually adjusting its diplomatic approach toward Myanmar’s military authorities. - Philippines Plans ASEAN-Led Humanitarian Mission to Myanmar
m.CDM | October 16, 2026
The Philippines, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is finalizing plans for an ASEAN-led humanitarian mission to Myanmar, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Dax Imperial, spokesperson for ASEAN affairs at the Philippine Foreign Ministry, said on October 14 that preparations were still underway and that no official launch date had been confirmed.
In July, Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, who also serves as the ASEAN Chair’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, said she intended to lead the humanitarian initiative during the final quarter of 2026.
The mission aims to deliver humanitarian assistance to communities in Myanmar that urgently need support.
Philippine officials said the initiative had received support from relevant stakeholders.
Lazaro previously indicated that the mission would seek permission from Myanmar’s military authorities and coordinate with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The mission would also involve cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations.
Imperial added that ASEAN leaders are expected to discuss the implementation of the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar during the upcoming ASEAN Summit in November.
The Five-Point Consensus remains ASEAN’s principal regional framework for addressing Myanmar’s ongoing political and humanitarian crisis.
Closing
That concludes today’s m.CDM domestic news bulletin.
The reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
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