Myanmar Fighter Jets Kill Civilians, Air Force Commander Close To Military Regime Leader Removed

Myanmar Air Force Base at Magway. (Wikimedia Commons/Ninjastrikers)

JAKARTA - Myanmar Air Force chief General Maung Maung Kyaw, who oversaw airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians, faced off against civilian armed groups.

The Myanmar military regime did not provide a clear reason behind General Maung Kyaw's removal. As one of the senior military officers, he is considered the leader of the military regime, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He was only 58 years old, less than two years from the official retirement age in Myanmar.

However, regime sources said the decision was in line with the military's retirement policy, as General Maung Maung Kyaw had served as air force chief for four years. To replace his position, the Myanmar military regime appointed Chief of Staff of the Air Force Lieutenant General Tun Aung.

"There have been previous cases where the military extended the retirement age for people it wanted to keep. Maybe the coup leader thought the general didn't listen to him, and therefore he didn't want to keep him," said the military captain who attacked Nyi Thuta, quoted from The Irrawaddy on January 13.

Despite being removed from his post as Air Force Commander, General Maung Maung Kyaw will remain a member of the State Administration Council (SAC), the governing body of Myanmar's military regime.

The general was sanctioned by the United States in February 2021 for being a senior member of the military and the SAC responsible for the deadly crackdown on peaceful anti-coup protesters.

General Maung Maung Kyaw is the youngest son of General Thura Kyaw Htin, who served as head of the air force during the military dictatorship of the 1980s. The general was quickly promoted through the ranks, before becoming Air Force Commander in January 2018.

At the time, General Maung Maung Kyaw was seen as close to General Min Aung Hlaing, widely considered by Myanmar defense analysts, as likely to move into a more senior role eventually.

Previously, the recent military regime also forced Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe to step down as Judge Advocate General and transfer him to the reserve forces. He did, however, retain his position as secretary of the SAC.

Since last year's coup, the Myanmar Air Force has carried out airstrikes against insurgents and armed ethnic groups fighting the military regime. Dozens of civilians were killed and thousands displaced by junta airstrikes in 2021.

Separately, the Karen National Union said at least 31 civilians were killed by airstrikes on its territory in Karen State last year, while more than 50,000 people were displaced by the fighting. More are feared to have been affected in the Sagaing Region and, recently, thousands of civilians have been displaced by airstrikes in Loikaw, the capital of Kayah State.

To note, the Myanmar Military has increased the use of airstrikes, despite demands from armed ethnic groups, they stopped using them because they harm the civilian population more than resistance fighters.

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