Regime continues air campaign against areas held by Brotherhood Alliance

By Admin 12 Sep 2024

DMG Newsroom
12 September 2024, Sittwe

Myanmar's military regime continues to carry out airstrikes in Arakan State after declaring the Brotherhood Alliance, which consists of the Arakkha Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), terrorist organisations on September 2.

The regime carries out airstrikes on areas held by the Brotherhood Alliance on a daily basis.

Regime airstrikes across five townships in northern Shan State and three townships in Arakan State reportedly killed some 90 prisoners of war (POWs) and wounded at least 30 others in recent days.

U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, said that the regime's airstrikes, without distinguishing between military and civilian targets, constitute war crimes.

"The regime's firing on civilians is committing crimes. The regime shoots anyone," he said.

Since the military regime announced that it would recapture the areas it has lost to anti-regime forces, it has conducted airstrikes on areas including northern Shan State, Kayah (Karenni) and Arakan states, with civilian casualties on the rise.

Political observers see the regime as unlikely to recapture the territory it has lost as it is unable to launch an offensive on the ground.

"Currently, the regime is carrying out aerial bombing attacks. The regime's inability to recapture areas lost to anti-regime forces on the ground has threatened the people. These are the regime's threats to the people and war crimes," said U Pe Than, a political analyst in Arakan State.

The regime also recently carried out airstrikes in Arakan State, targeting locations where prisoners of war, including civilians, were being held by the AA. Regime airstrikes in Pauktaw and Maungdaw townships killed at least 60 prisoners of war, the AA said in a statement.

U Pe Than said he viewed the targeting of prisoners of war detained by the AA as indicative of the regime's attitude toward this particular subset of its own troops.

"The regime considers such people to be traitors, whether they surrender to the enemy or are captured. The regime defines them as traitors if they do not fight to the death for them. At such a time, the regime no longer treats them as comrades, and attacks them as enemies," he said.

The Three Brotherhood Alliance issued a statement on September 10 saying that these actions constitute war crimes committed by the military regime, and that records of the regime's conduct would be sent to neighbouring countries and international organisations.

The alliance offered its condolences to the families and relatives of those killed and injured in the regime's airstrikes, and urged the public to be especially aware of the threat of attacks from military aircraft.