Myanmar: The Exiled Reports—Weekly Roundup | July 13, 2025
1. Junta airstrike kills 22 civilians at monastery shelter in Sagaing
On July 11, a junta airstrike on Maha Thitsar Wadi Monastery in Sagaing killed at least 22 civilians, including three children, and injured over 50 others, according to a report by the Ministry of Human Rights of NUG. The monastery was sheltering 200 displaced people during the Buddhist Lent season. The NUG condemned the attack as a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
The military carried out seven separate airstrikes on July 12, targeting areas in Mandalay Region and Kachin State using fighter jets. Air surveillance network Wai Hin verified the aerial assaults, but no civilian casualties have been confirmed as of this writing. The attacks mark an escalation in junta air activity during the week. The junta reportedly launched over 30 airstrikes across the country within a week.
2. Deaths of prominent political figures, Maung Thar Cho and Monk Shwe Nya War
Two respected figures in Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, writer Maung Thar Cho and monk Shwe Nya War Sayardaw, have recently passed away on the same date. Both had previously been imprisoned as political detainees but were released before their deaths.
Maung Thar Cho was well known for his literary work and outspoken criticism of the military regime. At the same time, Shwe Nya War Sayardaw was admired for his courageous sermons advocating peace and justice. Their passing is mourned widely among activists and communities who saw them as voices of conscience and resilience.
3. ASEAN rejects Myanmar junta’s planned election amid political prisoner detentions.
ASEAN has rejected Myanmar’s upcoming elections, saying they cannot be considered democratic while political prisoners remain detained. Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hassan stated at a press conference following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) that without inclusive participation, the elections lack legitimacy.
He emphasised that ASEAN’s priority is a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and inclusive dialogue, not elections held in isolated areas. Hassan warned that limited elections risk worsening instability and urged a focus on peace and the full implementation of ASEAN’s five-point consensus.
4. Thailand allows limited trade at KNU-controlled Tee Khee border.
Thailand has allowed local cross-border trade to resume at the Tee Khee border crossing in Tanintharyi Region, now under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU). After resistance forces, including KNU and allied PDF units, captured the area from the junta in May, Thai authorities held talks and agreed to permit the sale of essential goods to nearby Myanmar villages. However, the border remains closed to general public crossing and cargo truck transport, with only small-scale trade between local communities allowed.
KNU officials say the border remains under coordination, and full operations have not resumed yet. Despite the reopening, poor road conditions and ongoing military tensions continue to limit access. Resistance groups say growing control over border routes increases their leverage in dealing with Thailand, potentially posing a serious threat to junta logistics and revenue from trade routes.
5. CDF Hakha seizes millions of meth pills, implicates resistance fighters in drug trafficking.
Chinland Defence Force (CDF)–Hakah announced the seizure of nearly three million methamphetamine tablets and over 100 kg of heroin (No. 4) in Hakha Township on July 8. The drugs were being transported in two vehicles escorted by three resistance fighters allegedly linked to Yanmarbin PDF Battalion 15. CDF also detained a driver, an assistant, two firearms, and mini Starlink devices. The group released video confessions from those arrested, who claimed they were hired to transport the drugs from northern Shan State. Two alleged masterminds, including a battalion commander named Ko Potee, reportedly fled during the operation.
The arrest sparked concerns about drug trafficking among resistance ranks. Some defence force members in the area condemned the trafficking, stating that it undermines the legitimacy of the revolution. “We are fighting for freedom, not to turn into a drug-dealing military,” one member said. The National Unity Government’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) confirmed it is investigating the case involving PDF battalions in Yanmarbin. Locals say some units operate independently and may align with ethnic armed groups involved in the drug trade. CDF burnt the seized drugs on July 9 and pledged to continue crackdowns on trafficking within liberated zones.
Quick Bytes
The Spring Revolution Database (RSD) reports 2,876 civilians arrested by the military from January to June 2025.
· Over 1,000 children have died in the four and a half years since Myanmar’s coup, according to a report by the NUG.
Spotlights Story
Junta chief elated over Trump’s tariff letter, mistakes threat as recognition
Myanmar’s coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing has responded with remarkable enthusiasm to a routine letter from Donald Trump threatening punitive trade tariffs, interpreting it as a diplomatic breakthrough and the first formal recognition of his regime by the United States.
In a letter to the former US president, Min Aung Hlaing expressed his “sincere appreciation” for the message and praised Trump’s “strong leadership” and “true patriotism”, apparently unaware that the letter was a standard notice sent to 14 countries subject to new import tariffs.
Min Aung Hlaing used his response not just to praise Trump but to draw parallels between their disputed elections, echoing debunked claims of electoral fraud in both the US and Myanmar’s 2020 votes. He also thanked Trump for “regulating broadcasting agencies and funds”, referring to funding cuts to outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, both of which have reported extensively on the junta’s atrocities. The letter is striking not just for its tone but for what it reveals: a regime hungry for recognition, even from a former president, and willing to misinterpret a sanctions warning as a political olive branch.
Despite US sanctions on Min Aung Hlaing for his role in the Rohingya genocide and the 2021 coup, the junta leader offered a counter-deal, proposing a 10–20% tariff on Myanmar goods and preferential 0–10% rates on US exports. His overture is unlikely to alter US policy, which continues to call for an end to military violence, political prisoner releases, and a return to democratic governance.
The junta’s overly polite and miscalculated reaction highlights not just diplomatic desperation but the isolation and delusion at the heart of its rule.
Latest Contribution of Yan Naing Aung
· From the Field: Insights on Myanmar’s Civil War
I contributed to a recent in-depth report by the Swiss weekly WOZ titled “Aus der Deckung,” which explores the realities of the civil war in Myanmar. The article draws on firsthand accounts and offers a detailed look into the conflict zones, reflecting the complex situation on the ground.
Following our latest trip to the area, this report captures much of what we witnessed and experienced. It provides important context and a nuanced understanding of the ongoing struggles faced by communities caught in the conflict.
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Until next week,
Yan Naing Aung