19th-20th August, 2021

 

About 500 soldiers are willing to defect in a month if the NUG can guarantee their safety, CDM soldiers wrote on their social media page, Peoples’ Soldiers. 15 soldiers in Thayet, Magway Region, and 25 soldiers in Dawei, Tanintharyi Region, reportedly fled their bases with their weapons on August 18 and 19, several local media reported.

The junta is having difficulty finding new recruits after the coup. A new recruit costs them at least 25 lakhs (USD 1500), military sources told Myanmar Press Agency. Prior to the coup, one recruit was paid between 500,000 and 1,500,000 kyats, depending on his or her level of education. Due to the large number of CDM civil servants in the Internal Revenue Department, the junta has ordered to fill the 200 vacancies with family members of the junta troops, according to Myanmar Now.

The NUG broadcasted its first radio program, Radio NUG, at 8 am today. Radio prices have skyrocketed due to huge public demand, BBC reported. The junta troops are reportedly seizing radios in shops. Eyewitnesses told RFA that at least four people were injured in a bomb blast near the Mya Yee Nanda housing estate, where the guest registration was taking place, in Mandalay on 19 August.

The local People's Defense Force (PDF)’s camp in Yezakyo Township, Magway Region, was raided by about 100 junta troops on August 19, the Irrawaddy reported. No casualties were reported, but about 15 homemade guns and food supplies were confiscated. Shwe Phee Myay reported that the Kokang Army (MNDAA) and the junta troops have been fighting in Pansai, Muse Township, Shan State, since the morning of 20 August.

In Mindat, Chin State, the junta has restricted the flow of rice bags into the town and permitted only about 20 kg of rice per person, according to Mizzima. There are more than 10,000 displaced civilians living in IDP camps in Mindat Township, according to local relief groups.

The Arakan Army troops are threatening villagers in Pichaung area of Paletwa Township, Chin State, after several Chin villagers fled its military training, according to the Chin World. Family members of those villagers said that three people from each village in Pichaung area were forced to attend the training and fled due to starvation and oppression during the training.

The NUG has accepted the International Criminal Court (ICC) 's jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by the junta in the country. The declaration was lodged in accordance with Article 12 (3) of the Rome Statute of the ICC and transmitted to the Registrar of the court on 17 July, the statement said.