14th-15th July, 2021

Rumor of the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyidaw on 15 July sparked widespread debate among activists and politicians. The Myanmar Pressphoto Agency reported that they were informed by a senior official close to the junta yesterday. Some have claimed that this action was nothing more than a political stunt that the junta used to do to ease political pressure, while others have said that they feared Aung San Suu Kyi would compromise with the junta and divert public attention from the revolution.

The junta has ordered the closure of offices for nine days from 17 July to 25 July due to the Covid outbreak, Khit Thit Media reported. The United Nations Special Rapporteur, Tom Andrews, has called an “Emergency Coalition for the People of Myanmar” to provide immediate assistance to Myanmar’s People who are suffering severely from an epidemic, and said that, “the junta must also account for the $350 million in COVID aid the International Monetary Fund provided the people of Myanmar just days prior to the coup d’état.” 

On 14 July, the junta-appointed female ward administrator in Mandalay's Amarapura Township was shot dead while distributing a mask and hand sanitizer, Mizzima reported. On the same day, two eyewitnesses told Myanmar Now that a known Buddhist nationalist was assassinated near his home in Ward 53, South Dagon Township, Yangon.

At around 11 a.m. on 15 July, three people robbed about 100,000 Kyat (USD 6100) from a junta-controlled World Treasure Bank in Yangon’s South Okkalapa Township, locals told Khit Thit. The NUG Defence Minister told RFA that by the end of July, about 8,000 PDF members will be trained in the NUG military training. He also said that the training also includes CDM soldiers and police officers.

Fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the junta troops has resumed near Hpakant Township in Kachin State since the morning of 15 July, KIA Spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told Myanmar Now. Some locals are fleeing the area due to fears of airstrikes. Former Israeli spy Air Ben-Menashe, who was hired by the junta for USD 2 million to gain international support after the coup, told Reuters that his lobby work for the junta is now ceased as they did not receive payment due to international sanctions.