Myanmar Junta Declares Martial Law In Chin State City

ILLUSTRATION/Twitter media_chin

JAKARTA - Myanmar's junta declared martial law in a city in Chin State after accusing armed terrorists of being behind attacks on police stations and banks, according to government media reports.

In the face of widespread opposition, the junta has struggled to maintain order amid daily protests in cities and fighting in border states since it ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021.

Myanmar news agency News Agency reported the unrest in Mindat City took place on Wednesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 13, involving about 100 people who used weapons assembled to attack a police station and about 50 people targeting the Myanmar Economic Bank.

Media reports said security forces had fended off the attack without causing casualties.

Documents declaring martial law in the city in Chin State, which borders India, have been uploaded in The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper.

Reuters as quoted by Antara on Friday, May 14, could not independently confirm the veracity of government media reports on the situation in Mindat.

However, a document -- uploaded on social media by local media claiming to be from the antijunta government in the Mindat area -- states that the military emergency declaration is invalid.

It also said the fighting was sparked by soldiers breaking a promise to free seven civilians detained during recent protests.

A spokesman for the Chinland Defense Forces, a newly formed militia, said it was behind the latest fighting and confirmed the authenticity of the documents.

"They (the junta) can no longer rule the city except in some areas where they have bases. They have no control in rural areas," the spokesman said. He said one fighter from the force was killed and clashes continued with soldiers carrying reinforcements.

A junta spokesman could not be reached for comment.

In a sign of continued defiance of military rule, videos on social media showed pro-democracy supporters chanting "sure to win," as they marched in Myanmar's central trade city of Yangon on Friday.

With 788 people killed in a brutal crackdown on protests by security forces, according to an advocacy group, some of the ousted government's supporters are seeking military training alongside insurgents who have fought the military for decades in border areas.

Reuters could not independently verify the casualties because the military had imposed restrictions on media, internet services and satellite broadcasts.

Fighting has intensified in some border areas since the February 1 coup, with ethnic militias stepping up attacks, occupying military outposts, and dropping military helicopters.

Formed a week ago by the Government of National Unity that opposes the generals, a group called the People's Defense Forces has sought support from armed ethnic groups that have long regarded Myanmar's military as their biggest enemy.