By Hlaing / MPA
According to a person who is closely related to the State Administration Council (SAC)’s army, families of high ranking officers of SAC’s army from Pyin Oo Lwin city are warned to flee and SAC is preparing defenses in the city.
After the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), People Defense Force (Mandalay) (MDY-PDF) and allies have captured Naung Hkio city, Northern Shan state and launched the higher pace offensive on Pyin Oo Lwin city where Defence Services Academies are located and Mandalay city where Central Command of SAC’s army located, SAC’s army starts preparing defenses in Pyin Oo Lwin city.
“There are no checks in Pyin Oo Lwin city. There are no traffic police. Everything seems normal but the locals and basic classes are in internment. Military supporters, the riches and the government officials have already fled from war. Some shops are closed,” a local man from Pyin Oo Lwin told MPA.
Moreover, a woman closely related to the police forces who doesn’t want to reveal her name said that SAC-controlled police forces in Pyin Oo Lwin are not in the police stations but they have to stay in the gates and outposts outside of the city.
“There are less police forces in the main police stations of the city. I think they all were sent to gates and outposts. Police outposts are usually seen in Anisakan, Pyinsar and Wekwin villages, often in civilian outfits,” she explained.
A person closely related to SAC’s army said that SAC’s army restricts security protocols along the road headed to Naung Hkio and Wekwin gate at the entrance of Pyin Oo Lwin with prepared defense strongholds.
“SAC’s army spreaded their forces around Kyauk Gu forest monastery , Pyinsar village, Bant Bwe village close to Naung Hkio city. They want to cover the area of no. 902 Artillery Operations Command (Taung Hkam) of Kangyi village based in the Naung Hkio city which is the possible attack route from Naung Hkio. SAC’s army thought the attack would start from there, so they prepared defenses. They also deployed forces on the short cut route to Kyaukse city,” a person closely related to SAC’s army said.
A active service officer from General Engineering Corps said that high ranked officers of Defence Services Academy (DSA), General Engineering Corps (GE), Military Science and Research Technology headquarter and Defense Services technology Academy (DSTA) that located on Pyin Oo Lwin – Lashio road are moving to Naypyidaw, Yangon and Meiktila which is a military stronghold city.
“Most of the High ranking officers and retired military personnel who left moved yesterday (7 August). But they left the low ranking ones and youth military officers to suffer whatever happened to them. Low ranking ones were forbidden from leaving,” he said.
“We need to get permission letters from the office to go to the other cities from Pyin Oo Lwin. Soldiers at the gate only allowed the ones with the permission letter to leave. We face difficulties in getting permission letters due to officials’ demands for various reasons,” a 30 years old local woman said.
Moreover, relating to the news of SAC’s army camping in Yadanabon cyber city, a technological university, “There are not many military personnel camped in the campus, it is just a few of them. Teachers and students of the university have been going back home,” a female student from that university said.
In the second phase of operation started on 25 June 2024, allied forces of TNLA, MDY-PDF and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) captured Kyaukme, Lashio, Mongmit, Naung Hkio townships including North Eastern Command of SAC’s army in Northern Shan state and Singu and Mogot townships in Mandalay region.
A person closely related to SAC’s army said that SAC’s army is preparing defense strongholds in Pyin Oo Lwin due to losses of their bases including North Eastern Command and headquarters of Divisions, Battalions and stronghold bases.
