Myanmar’s pro-democracy resistance group carries out ‘most powerful drone attack’ on military-controlled capital

An anti-army resistance alliance in Myanmar attacked several military targets in the capital Naypyidaw with drones, dealing a severe blow to the junta.

The National Unity Government (NUG), an alliance of anti-junta groups, launched coordinated attacks and confirmed an unspecified number of casualties.

The attack, which involved around 30 drones, targeted the military headquarters, the residence of Myanmar’s ruling General Min Aung Hlaing and an airport in Naypyidaw, a NUG spokesman said. The Independent.

Kyaw Zaw, a spokesman for the NUG, said it was the “strongest drone attack yet” on the military using long-range drones.

“Several long-range drones were used in the attack. The attack was successful and we are still assessing the situation,” he said. “Preliminary reports indicate that there were casualties.”

According to the spokesman, eyewitnesses reported smoke rising from the airport and several ambulances arriving and leaving the military hospital in Naypyidaw.

The military has not confirmed any damage or casualties from the attack and The Independent cannot independently verify the details.

The capital is the center of power and is heavily fortified with state-of-the-art defenses. “Nevertheless, the resistance managed to penetrate Naypyidaw and attack key targets,” he said.

The airport complex, which includes both a military airport and a civilian airport, is located about 25 kilometers southwest of the military headquarters, which the resistance group says it attacked.

The attack was a major blow to Myanmar’s military, which is battling on several fronts to contain insurgency across the country while stabilizing the economy.

NUG is an alliance formed to challenge military rule after the military overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup in February 2021. The coup sparked a civil war in the country that has killed thousands of people and displaced 2.6 million people over three years, according to the UN.

However, military officials said seven drones were shot down and one exploded on the airport runway.

This came after the army reportedly suffered losses in large areas as an alliance of ethnic minority rebels and an armed movement increased the pressure following the bloody crackdown on anti-coup protests.

A spokesman for the NUG’s armed wing in Naypyidaw, the People’s Defence Force (PDF), said Thursday’s attack was carried out on the orders of the NUG’s defence ministry. Details of the incident were not disclosed.

The attack on the capital is considered one of the heaviest and rarest attacks by resistance groups this year.

In October last year, the military suffered a major setback after ethnic insurgents overran its outposts along the border with India and China, losing control of large areas to the insurgents.

This came after Myanmar’s ruling General Min Aung Hlaing last week urged the population to remain calm as the military temporarily took power.

He called on the population to join forces with the military to fight armed groups that he said were supported from abroad and wanted to destroy the country.

Last month, the army announced new conscription laws that will make joining the army compulsory for all young men and women in light of the ongoing emergency situation in the country.