Sunday May 16, 2021
Junta imposed martial law
Military kills five rebels in Myanmar
The conflict in Myanmar is escalating into a civil war. Rebel groups oppose the military government, especially in the provinces near the border. In the west of the country, five rebel fighters have now been killed in an attack. The announce further fights.
At least five members of a militia have been killed in fighting between the Myanmar army and rebel groups in the past few days. “At least five of our members were killed and more than ten others were injured,” said a spokesman for the Chinland Defense Forces (CDF). Myanmar has been in turmoil since a February 1st military coup.
The western state of Chin in Myanmar, in which the CDF is active, has recently become a hotspot in the domestic conflict. According to the CDF spokesman, the militia members were killed in the city of Mindat. The military also arrested five residents there.
The spokesman said CDF fighters set fire to and destroyed several army vehicles. They also lured soldiers into an ambush. The military in turn attacked Mindat with artillery. The CDF then withdrew into the jungle. “We will no longer stay in the city,” said the spokesman. “But we’ll be back to attack soon.” So far, the CDF only has weapons that it has built itself.
Mindat people are afraid to leave their homes
The junta declared martial law on Mindat on Thursday. The CDF spokesman said the remaining residents of the city did not dare to leave their homes as they feared being attacked by soldiers.
Great Britain and the United States were alarmed on Saturday about the situation in Mindat and called on the Myanmar armed forces to stop the violence. “The use of weapons of war against civilians by the military, as it also took place this week in Mindat, shows again the depths to which the regime is ready to sink in order to remain in power,” wrote the US Embassy in the online Twitter service. The British Embassy said the violence in Mindat was “unjustifiable”.
In a special mass for Myanmar, Pope Francis called for peace in the Southeast Asian country. In his sermon in St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis condemned the violence by the military that seized power in Myanmar in a coup in early February.
Meanwhile, the state newspaper “New Light of Myanmar” reported that a military tribunal had been called before those responsible for “terrorist attacks” in Mindat were to be tried. Protesters against the military junta showed solidarity with the people in Mindat. In Hpakhant in the north of the country, protesters held posters that read: “Stay strong, Mindat!” upwards. There were renewed protests against the military rulers in other parts of the country as well. The demonstrators are demanding, among other things, the release of the deposed de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.
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