Widening its clampdown, the Tatmadaw deployed Chinese-made drones across Myanmar to survey situations and to guide its trail to quell pro-democracy protesters. According to the latest report by Asia Times, the drones were spotted hovering over the country’s second-largest city Mandalay where many protesters were shot dead by army snipers. Residents allege that the junta used intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) provided by drones for the shootout.
Hundreds of thousands of Myanmar residents have been protesting against the alliance between the alleged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the country’s military junta. While the pro-democracy protesters have called out Beijing for helping out the Military leader Min Aung Hlaing with IT experts and equipment, China has blatantly denied it calling it ‘rumours’. However, more recently, two think tanks- Janes International Defense Review and Centre for Strategic and International Studies identified Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) hovering around Mandalay as CH-3A, a Chinese-made drones.
Bloodiest encounter
The country has been seeing one of the bloodiest encounters in its history. According to a Rights group AAPP, 776 have been killed by the military in Myanmar since the conflict began on February 1. Meanwhile, 4885 have been arrested, 3183 currently detained/sentenced while there are 1518 arrest warrants at present. On Tuesday, dozens of Pro-democracy supporters took to the streets in the country’s second-biggest city of Mandalay. One of the demonstrations was staged by educators who called for a boycott of schools and universities when they reopen in June, Myanmar Now reported.
Last month, military leader Min Aung Hlaing has advanced some restraints on the security forces. However, on Sunday, civilians, some with crude weapons, clashed with the forces resulting in seven fatalities. With violence seeing an unprecedented surge every day, global organisations including the UN and ASEAN have stepped in to iron out a plan to end the Myanmar Crisis.
In their latest clampdown, Military Junta is killing and disappearing hundreds of youngsters. According to an Associated Press, analysis of more than 3,500 arrests since February, without their family being informed about their whereabouts. A discreet tally by UNICEF reported 1,000 cases of children being arbitrarily detained, many without access to their families.
Image: AP