In the month following the military’s Feb. 1 coup, many of Myanmar’s ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), which have been warring with the central government for decades, said they opposed the junta’s overthrowing of the democratically-elected civilian government.

When the Myanmar military killed anti-regime protesters, people in urban areas longed for help from the EAOs in their fight against junta, believing that an armed response is the best hope of stopping the military’s atrocities against unarmed civilians.

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The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan is now formally underway, according to the White House and several US defense officials.

“A drawdown is underway,” White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One Thursday. “While these actions will initially result in increased forces levels, we remain committed to having all of US military personnel out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2020.”

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Hostilities between Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Burma Army displaced over 2,000 civilians in Momauk Township, Kachin State.

“The numbers of IDPs (internally displaced persons) keeps increasing every day,” said an official from Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) Church in Momauk town, Bhamo District, where 700 villagers forced from their homes by the fighting took shelter at the church.

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The Myanmar military has reportedly suffered heavy casualties following attacks launched by the ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on a military base and convoy in Kachin State on Thursday.

On the morning of April 15 the KIA attacked a Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) base in the area of Nam Byu in Tanai Township. The base had been captured by the Tatmadaw from the KIA in 2018. Immediately after the attack, two military fighter jets launched airstrikes in the area.

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Over 1,000 locals in Namtu, northern Shan State have been displaced by fighting between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

The two Shan State-based ethnic armed groups have been fighting each other since March 29 over territorial disputes in Namtu.

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