Latest news with #People'sDefenceForce
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
CCTV clip of Brazil robbery falsely linked to Burmese anti-junta fighters
The video of an armed robber stealing a mobile phone and fleeing the scene before being shot by another man has gained 38,000 views after it was shared on Facebook on May 13. "Said it happened in North Dagon. I am not sure if that's true but they said a PDF saved a foreigner," reads the Burmese-language caption, referring to the People's Defence Force, which was formed after a 2021 coup that has led to four years of conflict, spurring mass displacement and poverty (archived link). A devastating earthquake that struck in March killed 3,800 people and worsened the humanitarian situation, while the junta has continued to strike civilian targets despite a purported ceasefire to help the country recover from the disaster (archived links here and here). Similar posts claiming the video of the robbery was shot in Myanmar also emerged on Facebook. However, a reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the video found the incident took place in Brazil. Broadcaster CNN Brasil published an uncropped version of the video in a report on March 4 (archived link). The report's headline reads: "Video: student is robbed as he leaves the gym and off-duty police officer retaliates." The incident took place in Sao Paulo's Brooklin neighbourhood, on Francisco Dias Velho Road, Brazilian local media reported (archived link). A search of the location on Google Maps found a geotagged image of the exterior of the Junkyard Gym, which shows elements matching those seen in the CCTV footage of the robbery (archived link). Further keyword searches found the Junkyard Gym had uploaded additional CCTV footage of the robbery on its official Instagram account, which corresponded to Google Maps street view imagery of Francisco Del Velho Road (archived links here and here). AFP has previously debunked misinformation related to the PDF here, here and here.
Deccan Herald
19-05-2025
- Deccan Herald
'Armed cadres' from Myanmar tried to disturb border fencing work: Forces tell Centre after Manipur Op
"Armed cadres" belonging to the Myanmar-based People's Defence Force illegally crossed the border and tried to disturb the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) personnel, who were engaged in the fencing work.
Arab News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Myanmar earthquake a double blow to the junta
On March 28, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, leveling communities, killing more than 3,700 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. The epicenter, near Mandalay, shook the nation's heart, collapsing bridges, pagodas and homes and exposing the fragility of a country already fractured by a brutal civil war. Beyond the physical devastation, this catastrophe has reshaped the psychological landscape of Myanmar's conflict, delivering a profound boost to the resistance forces battling the junta. In a nation steeped in superstition, many rebels interpret the quake as divine retribution against the military government, fueling their morale and momentum in a war that has raged since the 2021 coup. The civil war, pitting the junta against a coalition of ethnic armed groups and the People's Defence Force under the national unity government, has been a grinding, multifront struggle. The earthquake has added a new dimension, straining the junta's resources and exposing its vulnerabilities. Mandalay, a junta stronghold, suffered extensive damage, with more than 65,000 buildings affected, including critical infrastructure like hospitals and bridges. The military, already stretched thin by resistance offensives, has been forced to divert troops and funds to relief efforts, weakening its grip on contested regions. In Sagaing, where the city remains under junta control but the countryside is dominated by resistance militias, the quake's destruction has disrupted supply lines and communication networks, hampering military operations. Many rebels interpret the quake as divine retribution against the military government, fueling their morale and momentum Dr. Azeem Ibrahim This logistical burden comes at a critical moment. The resistance has made significant gains since the launch of Operation 1027 by the Three Brotherhood Alliance in October 2023. The alliance, comprising the Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, has seized key territories, including Lashio in Shan State. The earthquake's timing has created openings for further advances. As political analyst Kyaw Hsan Hlaing noted, the junta's preoccupation with disaster response has allowed groups like the Arakan Army to consolidate control over towns like Falam in Chin State. The national unity government's truce declaration, allowing only defensive operations until April 20, enabled resistance forces to exploit these gaps, while the junta's continued airstrikes — more than 120 since the quake, according to the UN — have drawn international condemnation and further alienated civilians. But the earthquake's impact transcends material losses. In Myanmar, where Buddhist cosmology and superstition permeate daily life, natural disasters are often imbued with spiritual significance. For many in the resistance, the quake is seen as a divine verdict on the junta's brutality. Since the 2021 coup, the military has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and razed civilian infrastructure, earning widespread hatred. The quake's devastation of junta-controlled areas, particularly Mandalay's cultural and religious sites, has been interpreted by some rebels as cosmic justice. Social media posts from resistance fighters, reported by local outlets, describe the earthquake as 'the earth rejecting the generals' tyranny' and a sign that 'the heavens stand with the people.' This narrative resonates deeply in a country where omens and portents shape perceptions of legitimacy. The psychological boost cannot be overstated. In a war where morale is as critical as ammunition, the belief that righteousness is on their side has galvanized resistance fighters. The junta's legitimacy, already eroded by its violent suppression of protests and conscription drives, has taken another hit. Reports from displaced communities in Kayah State highlight a growing sense among civilians that the junta's misfortunes signal its impending collapse. This sentiment is amplified by the resistance's narrative warfare, with sympathetic media outlets framing the quake as a turning point. The capture of strategic locations post-quake, often unreported as ceasefire violations by pro-resistance platforms, underscores how this perception of divine favor is translating into battlefield gains. In a war where morale is as critical as ammunition, the belief that righteousness is on their side has galvanized resistance fighters Dr. Azeem Ibrahim However, the resistance's momentum is not without constraints. China, a key backer of the junta, has exerted significant influence over the conflict's trajectory. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army's decision this month to hand Lashio back to the junta, under Chinese pressure, highlighted Beijing's ability to dictate outcomes. China's growing economic stakes in Myanmar, including the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, make it wary of prolonged instability. While the earthquake has temporarily shifted focus to humanitarian aid — China dispatched more than 30 rescue teams and some $13.7 million in relief — Beijing's long-term strategy remains stabilizing the junta to protect its interests. This external pressure could temper the resistance's advances, particularly in northern Shan State, where Chinese influence is strongest. The international response, or lack thereof, further complicates the picture. This geopolitical vacuum has allowed authoritarian powers to bolster the junta's position through aid, undermining the resistance's narrative of global support. The UN has criticized the junta for breaching the ceasefire, but its calls for humanitarian access have gone largely unheeded. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' attempts at mediation, led by Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim, have yielded little beyond temporary pauses in fighting. For the resistance, the earthquake has been both a tactical opportunity and a psychological catalyst. The junta's weakened state, coupled with the rebels' belief in divine endorsement, has injected new vigor into their campaign. However, the path forward is fraught with challenges. The resistance must navigate China's influence, international indifference and the junta's relentless airstrikes. The quake has shifted the ground — literally and figuratively — but its ultimate impact on Myanmar's civil war remains uncertain. As Richard Horsey, a Myanmar expert, cautioned, the disaster's effects are 'hard to predict.' What is clear is that in a nation where the spiritual and political are intertwined, the earthquake has given the resistance a powerful symbol of hope and righteousness, one they will wield as they continue their fight for freedom.
Japan Times
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Myanmar quake truce crumbles amid border clashes
Two Myanmar towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand have been besieged by fighting despite a truce declared after last month's massive earthquake, residents said on Thursday. A 2021 coup sparked a multi-sided civil war between Myanmar's military, pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic rebel groups that have long been active in the country's fringes. Four years of conflict have spurred mass displacement and poverty, and much of the fighting has focused on trade routes where combatants run tollgates to bolster their war chests. The junta and numerous opposition groups declared a ceasefire to ease relief efforts after a 7.7 magnitude quake hit central Myanmar on March 28, killing more than 3,700 people. However, three eastern Myanmar residents said fighting has been raging for days around the junta-held towns of Kyondoe and Kawkareik, which sit on a highway leading to the western Thailand border town of Mae Sot. A resident from an outlying village, who asked to remain anonymous, said the towns had been under attack by "combined forces" from different rebel groups since before Sunday. "There were air strikes and artillery shots around our village since two days ago," they added. "We have no place to hide." A resident living a short distance from Kyondoe said their village had been occupied by members of the anti-coup People's Defence Force. "We are hearing the sounds of air strikes and artillery shooting. We cannot flee to other places now," they said. "We are really scared." A third resident from Kyondoe, 50 kilometers from the Thai border, said they fled two days ago alongside many neighbors from surrounding villages "to avoid heavy fighting." The junta said after the earthquake that it would honor a truce until April 22, but would still retaliate against attacks. As many as 60,000 people are living in tent encampments after the quake, according to United Nations figures. Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun accused several rebel groups on Wednesday evening of breaching the truce in recent days, including near Kyondoe and inside Kawkareik. Zaw Min Tun could not be reached for further comment on Thursday. Monitors agree that the post-quake truce has not held but junta chief Min Aung Hlaing is reportedly due to make a rare trip abroad on Thursday to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and discuss an extension. Malaysia is this year's chair of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc. ASEAN has in the past barred junta officials from its summits over lack of progress on a peace plan. However, Anwar said he would meet Min Aung Hlaing in Bangkok to discuss prolonging the ceasefire beyond Tuesday to protect Malaysian teams working on quake relief efforts.
The Independent
07-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
First they faced bombing during Myanmar's civil war. Then came the devastating earthquake
More than a week after the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, the stench of death still poisons the air in the northern Mingun town, a few miles from the epicentre. A Buddhist monk who goes by the name of Monk Owen and who was until recently the principal of Mingun's school, tells The Independent: "The situation is very bad... Many in the community have been killed, many injured, and we have had no help from outside." Many of the town's religious buildings have been reduced to rubble and matchwood. Photos show monks and others injured during the quake lying in the open, wearing bandages and being cared for by monks. More than 3,500 people have been killed across the country by the 7.7 magnitude tremor. Foreign aid teams cannot penetrate here. The only organised rescue work has been undertaken by fighters of the People's Defence Force (PDF), one of the many militias that have sprung up since Myanmar's military coup of February 2021, contesting the army's right to rule. "They are young men, many of them came from the cities," Owen says 'Many of them were my students in secret classes where I taught them about democracy and human rights. They don't have the tools to cut through concrete.' In the 40C heat, the smell of decay is inescapable. Elsewhere in Myanmar the heavy-duty machines of international aid teams have hacked through the rubble to bring out the bodies after . But in Mingun as in much of the rest of Sagaing region, west of the city of Mandalay, the quake struck at the heart of a warzone. The army is present in Mingun and elsewhere in the locality but confined to camps which they rarely leave because the hearts and minds of the community are with the PDF. But there are army road blocks on the roads out of town, so residents are bottled up in their own villages. "People injured in the earthquake cannot travel to the hospitals in the cities because they fear getting arrested or killed at the road blocks," Owen said. Mingun is famous for its vast "unfinished pagoda", the huge stump of an 18th century stupa intended to be the biggest in the world. Its construction was halted when King Bodawpaya, who had commissioned it, was told by an astrologer that he would die when it was completed. It has long been a draw to foreign visitors who flocked across the Irrawaddy river from Mandalay by boat to admire it, Today soldiers are camped beside the mighty monument, barring access. Mingun has been embroiled in the civil war for years now. "The houses of the people have been destroyed in air raids," says Owen. 'They have been living in the temples and monasteries – but those were knocked down in the earthquake, so now they are living in the forests. They forage for food but can't risk cooking it lest the smoke of their fires is spotted by the military and they bomb again.' After coming out in opposition to the military coup, Owen became a wanted man and in 2022 Mingun was targeted in air strikes that levelled the area. In October 2024, he grew his hair long, bribed police to provide him with false documents and fled the country. He is now seeking asylum in France. Subsequently, Owen says three of his close relatives were shot dead by soldiers. " Aung San Suu Kyi [the leader deposed and imprisoned by the military junta] is our idol, we trust her one hundred per cent, she has been working for the good of all Burmese people whatever their religion," Owen says. 'But she is under the military's control now." 'The generals claim to be Buddhists but they are killers,' he adds. 'They are just using Buddhism to get influence over people. But now they've lost the support of everyone. I believe they will soon flee to Russia – either that or they will end up dead like [Libya's Muammar] Gaddafi."
