28th-29th July, 2021

 

57 PDF members were arrested after a clash between Mingin PDF and Pyu Saw Htee members near Taung Phyu Village, Minkin Township, Sagaing Region on 28 July. A PDF member told the BBC that their members were deceived by Taung Phyu villagers and four of the detainees were killed by the junta troops.

Khit Thit reported that the PDF blew up a gas pipeline in Thaton Township, Mon State, on July 27. However, a local PDF told RFA that they did not carry out the attack. At around 10:30 pm on 29 July, no. 3 battalion under the KIA's 5th Brigade launched attack on the 58th Infantry Battalion based in Waingmaw Town, killing two junta troops and wounding several others, according to the Kachin News Group. A spokesperson of the Wa armed group told RFA that the UWSA is willing to mediate between the two Shan armed groups: RCSS and SSPP. Shan News reported that the SNLD is also mediating for a ceasefire between them.

In Yangon, where the death toll from the virus has risen, the junta has ordered the private oxygen plants not to sell oxygen to the public if they cannot show a letter of recommendation from its appointed local administrators. The junta controlled MRTV news announced that the junta is building 10 cremation chambers in Yangon that could cremate more than 3,000 bodies a day. The junta has been criticized for prioritizing building the chambers rather than controlling the outbreak and reducing the death tolls.

The Central Bank has instructed all banks to ease restrictions on bank withdrawals for Covid-19 related spending, according to Yangon Media Group. Since the coup, the Central Bank limited cash withdrawals from banks and ATMs. One person could not withdraw more than 20 lakh kyats per week and a company or organization could not withdraw more than 20 million kyats per week.

The junta-controlled the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that prisoners, including Australian economist Professor Sean Turnell, were vaccinated on 28 July in Insein Prison. He has been charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act. According to Mizzima, the Myanmar diaspora in South Korea has received more than 200,000 signatures to demand the South Korean government to recognize the NUG as the legitimate government of Myanmar.