Editorial
Mandaing, May 16, 2025
On the morning of May 12, at approximately 9:30 a.m., the military council launched an airstrike on a school in Oe Htein Twin village, Depayin Township, Sagaing Region. This attack resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, including teachers and students who were in the process of taking their exams.
This incident is part of a deeply concerning pattern of the military council frequently targeting civilian sites and events. These include schools, monasteries, weddings, and administrative office openings. A particularly devastating attack occurred in Pazigyi village, where hundreds of civilians were killed.
According to a report by Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, an independent research group, the military council conducted 4,157 aerial attacks between February 2021 and December 2024. These attacks caused 2,224 civilian deaths and 3,466 injuries. The report highlights a year-on-year increase in the intensity of these attacks, indicating the junta’s growing reliance on aerial warfare.
In response to the escalating aerial threat, the National Unity Government (NUG) initiated a fundraising campaign in 2022 called Project Dragon Fly. This initiative reportedly raised USD 2.2 million with the aim of countering such attacks. During a press conference on October 7, 2022, marking the first anniversary of the People’s Defensive War, NUG spokesperson U Kyaw Zaw suggested that the NUG possessed weapons capable of downing helicopters, although not anti-aircraft missiles.
A statement released by the NUG in March 2023 indicated that USD 1.4 million from Project Dragon Fly had been allocated to air defense, while the remaining USD 800,000 was designated for developing counter-offensive aerial capabilities.
In an interview with Mizzima News Agency on April 22, 2025, U Kyaw Zaw confirmed that the NUG now possesses anti-aircraft weapons. However, he stated that the constant movement of junta aircraft nationwide has made it challenging to deploy these weapons effectively in time to respond to attacks.
Regardless of whether the NUG genuinely possesses such weapons, Mandaing News Agency finds the explanations provided thus far to be inconsistent and unclear. We urge the NUG to refrain from issuing vague or evasive statements on this critical issue.
Airstrikes by the junta are not a new phenomenon. Existing comprehensive data identifies frequently targeted areas and zones with the highest civilian casualties. As a government-in-exile or parallel government, the NUG must prioritize strategic and decisive actions to address these threats, rather than relying on symbolic declarations or unsubstantiated claims.
Since early 2025, the NUG has announced plans to initiate ground warfare and general strategic offensives, including the establishment of government offices in Sagaing Region by the end of January. In response, the military junta has intensified airstrikes across Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway Regions, deploying fighter jets, helicopters, and military drones.
Despite its claims, the NUG, unlike some ethnic armed organizations, has not demonstrated an effective capacity to retaliate against or credibly deter junta airstrikes since 2022.
According to its four-year progress report, the NUG has established 356 units, including 316 People’s Defense Force (PDF) battalions, as well as drone, medical, logistics, and security units. The PDFs are now operational in 235 districts, with plans for further expansion into 11 additional districts. This organizational growth represents a significant development.
At Mandaing News Agency, we acknowledge and commend the broader progress achieved in the struggle against the military dictatorship. However, we remain deeply concerned and saddened by the NUG’s inability to mount a substantial and effective response to the ongoing aerial threats in areas under its influence.
The danger posed by airstrikes cannot be adequately addressed through statistics alone. Shifting responsibility or avoiding direct engagement will not safeguard civilians. Concrete and strategic action is urgently required.
Crucially, the NUG can only hope to develop genuine and effective solutions to counter the junta’s air attacks by truthfully acknowledging the situation and working transparently with grassroots revolutionary forces and the people. We firmly believe that sincere collaboration is essential to mitigate the threat from the skies and alleviate the daily deadly danger faced by civilians.
