As the military junta faces growing defeats, they are becoming increasingly brutal towards the civilian population, according to leaders of the New Mon State Party – Anti-Dictatorship (NMSP-AD).
The junta is reportedly on the brink of collapse, struggling both militarily and politically.
NMSP-AD Brigadier General Nai Slong Htaw said, “The nature of the dictatorship is such that they will never concede, even as they face growing difficulties. As they lose ground, their brutality increases. They will endanger both the resistance groups and the general population before their downfall. They will do whatever they can to maintain their grip on power. Currently, they are finding it difficult to conduct ground operations, so they have intensified airstrikes.”
He added that the junta’s use of airstrikes was anticipated and that they tend to respond with extreme violence when cornered.
Ethnic armed groups and revolutionary forces have continued to capture numerous military bases and towns previously controlled by the junta. Additionally, there are increasing incidents of junta soldiers abandoning their posts to join the revolutionary joint forces.
“The situation has shifted, with even former supporters from local areas now turning against the junta. Soldiers are abandoning their bases and fleeing without putting up a fight. We see the junta weakening before our eyes. While they haven’t completely collapsed yet, their eventual defeat seems inevitable,” said NMSP-AD Deputy Leader Nai Banyar Lae.
In areas where the junta is losing ground, they have escalated military operations, leading to a significant increase in civilian casualties due to intensified airstrikes.
According to a report from the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-Myanmar), the junta fully controls only 72 out of 330 townships nationwide, indicating a significant loss of control over the remaining areas.
