# m.CDM Domestic News – October 21, 2026
Hello and welcome to m.CDM Domestic News.
Today, we bring you the following headlines:
1\. Myanmar's military junta drops more than 110 bombs on the Paletwa region, killing nine civilians, including an infant. Intense fighting also continues in Mindat and Kanpetlet.
2\. Six females, including children, are killed in a junta airstrike on Butalin Township. Another airstrike damages seven houses in Gyeintali, Rakhine State.
3\. KIA-led allied forces capture an SNA military outpost in Homalin Township.
4\. British-based global accounting firm PwC announces plans to liquidate its Myanmar operations and leave the country.
We will also bring you several other important developments.
### 1. Junta Drops More Than 110 Bombs on Paletwa, Killing Nine Civilians, Including an Infant; Heavy Fighting Continues in Mindat and Kanpetlet
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Intense fighting between Myanmar's military junta and the Chin People's Army has continued in Mindat and Kanpetlet townships, areas controlled by the Chin People's Union (CPU), since mid-May, according to a statement issued by the organization.
The junta, reportedly suffering heavy losses in ground battles, has reinforced its troops and launched a military offensive toward Kyindwe town in Kanpetlet Township since September 26. Fighting remains ongoing.
The military has also repeatedly conducted airstrikes using fighter jets and Y-12 aircraft, targeting civilian homes, schools, hospitals, religious buildings, and shops.
On October 18, junta forces reportedly dropped two bombs from a fighter jet and another 64 bombs from a Y-12 aircraft on Pi Chaung Sone in the Dai region of Paletwa Township, Chin State.
The following day, October 19, the military dropped another two bombs from a fighter jet on the Lone Tu–Twi Sap junction and 48 bombs from a Y-12 aircraft on Pi Chaung Sone.
According to the CPU statement, the two consecutive days of airstrikes killed nine civilians, including a nursing infant, and injured five others. Residential buildings and shops were also damaged.
The Chin People's Union condemned the junta's attacks on civilians and urged residents to remain especially vigilant against further airstrikes as fighting continues.
### 2. Six Females Killed in Junta Airstrike on Butalin; Seven Houses Damaged in Gyeintali Bombing
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Six females, including children, were killed when Myanmar junta forces carried out an airstrike on Kwan Chan Village in Butalin Township, Sagaing Region, according to local reports.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on October 20, a gyrocopter departing from the Northwestern Regional Military Command in Monywa reportedly dropped a bomb on the village. The attack was followed by another strike using a suicide drone.
The victims included four members of the same family, aged 41, 17, 15, and 13, and two sisters aged 22 and 17. Another woman was injured.
Local residents said four victims died at the scene, while the remaining two died on their way to receive medical treatment.
In a separate incident, junta forces reportedly bombed Gyeintali town in Gwa Township, Rakhine State, at approximately 10:30 p.m. on October 19.
A fighter jet dropped two 300-pound bombs near a major roundabout in the town center.
Although no casualties were reported because relatively few residents remained in the town, approximately seven houses were destroyed or damaged.
Gyeintali is currently controlled by the Arakan Army (AA). Residents said the town has been subjected to repeated airstrikes despite the absence of active ground fighting, leaving civilians in constant fear for their safety.
### 3. Student Seriously Injured After SNA Member Opens Fire at Homalin Degree College
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
A student was seriously injured in a shooting involving two students on the campus of Homalin Degree College in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region.
The incident reportedly occurred on the morning of October 16 following an argument between a third-year distance-learning student who was also a member of the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) and a first-year distance-learning student from Seti Seik Village.
According to local residents, the SNA-affiliated student initiated the confrontation and physically assaulted the other student before pulling a pistol from his bag and opening fire.
The first-year student sustained gunshot wounds to his head and leg.
Because of the severity of his injuries, Homalin Hospital was reportedly unable to provide the necessary treatment, and he was transferred to a hospital in Mandalay for emergency medical care. His condition remains critical.
Homalin is under the control of the Myanmar military and the SNA. It remains unclear whether any legal action has been taken against the alleged shooter.
### 4. KIA-Led Allied Forces Capture Junta-Aligned SNA Outpost in Homalin Township
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied resistance forces have captured a military outpost belonging to the junta-aligned Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, according to local military sources.
The outpost, located in Ta Mel Pote Village in the Taung Oo village tract, was seized on October 18. Resistance forces reportedly recovered weapons and ammunition during the operation.
While fighting was taking place, junta forces conducted airstrikes near the border between Homalin Township and Kachin State. Military aircraft were also reportedly observed operating around Shwe Pyi Aye.
Local sources said the junta has been targeting gold-mining areas with airstrikes. Similar attacks in the past have resulted in civilian casualties.
According to military monitoring records, at least eight civilians were killed in July when junta aircraft bombed gold-mining areas far from active battlefields during fighting in Homalin Township.
Residents have been urged to take precautions and prioritize their safety amid the continuing military tensions.
### 5. Two Forcibly Recruited Junta Soldiers Defect to Arakan Army After Alleged Drug-Related Framing and Abuse
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Arakan Army (AA) has released video testimony from two junta soldiers who said they were forcibly recruited from Dagon Seikkan Township in Yangon Region and Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region before being sent to the front lines.
Both men have since defected to the AA.
One of the defectors, Private Soe Min Thein, said he was abducted while returning home from work in Dagon Seikkan on May 8.
He alleged that his captors placed illegal drugs in his hands, photographed him, and threatened him with a fabricated criminal charge.
He said he was given an ultimatum: join the military or go to prison.
The second defector, Aung Kyaw Naing, a motorcycle taxi driver from Pyigyidagun Township, said he was forcibly detained at approximately 5 a.m. on May 12.
He reported being held for about 17 days at the General Administration Department office and Battalion 910.
During military training at Training Center No. 8 in Lashio, he allegedly attempted to escape but was caught, handcuffed, shackled, and severely beaten.
Both men were subsequently assigned through Light Infantry Battalion 218 and sent to the Sane Kone area of Kyaukphyu Township.
Describing his experience at the front line, Soe Min Thein said:
"We had to carry heavy logs and dig trenches. If we couldn't do the work, they beat us, shouted at us, and threatened us. We suffered terribly. We were the ones constantly assigned to guard duty. Almost every day, we had to carry wounded soldiers from the front lines on stretchers."
The two soldiers said they became increasingly demoralized by their experiences and eventually decided to escape.
Junta troops reportedly opened fire as they fled, but neither was injured, and both successfully reached the Arakan Army.
Aung Kyaw Naing said the AA was treating them well and keeping them in a safe location.
"The AA has treated us very well. I want my family to know that I am alive and healthy," he said.
Soe Min Thein also urged other forcibly recruited soldiers serving on the front lines to defect to the AA if they wanted to survive and reunite with their families.
### 6. Junta Deploys Heavy Artillery in Bagan Archaeological Zone and Attacks Surrounding Communities
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Myanmar's military junta has deployed an air force detachment and heavy artillery within the Bagan Archaeological Zone, using the historic area as a base for attacks on nearby townships and villages in Magway Region and along the Ayeyarwady River, according to the Myanmar Defense and Security Institute (MDSI).
The organization reported that since approximately May this year, junta forces operating from Nyaung-U Airport have conducted airstrikes using Mi-35 attack helicopters, gyrocopters, and motorized paragliders, also known as paramotors.
These operations have targeted Myingyan, Ngazun, Myitche, Yesagyo, Pakokku, and other areas across Magway Region.
The military has also reportedly established positions near the western entrance of Ananda Temple and at Bagan Eain Taw in the old city.
From these positions, junta forces have deployed 102 mm mortars and 105 mm howitzers, which are reportedly being used almost daily to bombard resistance strongholds and villages on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River in Magway Region.
The report accused the junta of exploiting Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for military purposes and carrying out attacks that it described as war crimes.
### 7. NUG Authorizes 16 Former Prisoners of War to Join People's Defense Force
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government (NUG) announced on October 19 that 16 former prisoners of war from the Special Military Region have been granted permission to serve as members of the People's Defense Force (PDF).
According to the ministry, the 16 individuals had demonstrated loyalty and fulfilled their assigned responsibilities while being held at a prisoner-of-war facility under the Special Military Region.
Their names have now been removed from the prisoner-of-war register, allowing them to join the PDF voluntarily.
The ministry said the decision was based on their record of faithfully performing assigned duties, participating in revolutionary activities, and having no involvement in war crimes.
The former prisoners had personally applied to become PDF members, and their applications were approved following recommendations from the relevant authorities.
The NUG Ministry of Defense stated that the PDF maintains prisoners of war in accordance with military law and established military codes of conduct.
### 8. NUG Welcomes Expulsion of Junta-Controlled Myanmar Human Rights Commission From SEANF
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The National Unity Government (NUG) has welcomed the decision by the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) to expel the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), which operates under the military junta.
The NUG accused the MNHRC of failing to protect civilians from serious human rights violations committed by the military since the 2021 coup and of helping conceal those abuses.
According to the NUG, the commission has also failed to comply with the Paris Principles, the internationally recognized standards governing independent national human rights institutions.
As a result, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions withdrew its accreditation in 2024, while the Asia Pacific Forum terminated its membership in 2025.
The NUG expressed appreciation to independent civil society organizations, working groups advocating for independent national human rights institutions, and regional human rights organizations that submitted evidence supporting the commission's removal.
It also thanked SEANF governing board members from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste for listening to civil society concerns and supporting the decision.
The NUG said it is accelerating cooperation with civil society organizations and revolutionary groups to establish a Union Human Rights Commission (UHRC) capable of genuinely protecting the rights of the people.
### 9. Global Accounting Giant PwC Announces Liquidation of Myanmar Operations
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
PwC, one of the world's leading accounting, auditing, and business advisory networks, has announced plans to liquidate its Myanmar operations and permanently withdraw from the country.
According to a notice published in newspapers on October 20, the company will wind up its operations in accordance with Section 156 of Myanmar's Insolvency Law and the relevant regulations.
A meeting has been scheduled for October 30 at 10 a.m. to discuss the distribution of company assets, appointment of a liquidator, and formation of a creditors' committee.
London-based PwC entered Myanmar in 2012, providing business advisory, taxation, and auditing services to domestic and international companies.
Although the company has not publicly disclosed detailed reasons for its departure, business observers believe the decision may be connected to the political and economic instability that has followed the 2021 military coup.
Myanmar has experienced an exodus of foreign companies amid worsening economic conditions.
Business representatives have identified foreign currency restrictions, import and export controls, rising prices, and labor shortages linked to compulsory military conscription as major obstacles to business operations.
PwC operates globally with more than 360,000 professionals and employees. The original report describes the firm's global value as exceeding US$60 billion.
### Closing
That concludes today's m.CDM Domestic News program.
The news reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
For the latest news and updates, please subscribe to our channel.
Thank you for watching and listening to m.CDM Domestic News.
Hello and welcome to m.CDM Domestic News.
Today, we bring you the following headlines:
1\. Myanmar's military junta drops more than 110 bombs on the Paletwa region, killing nine civilians, including an infant. Intense fighting also continues in Mindat and Kanpetlet.
2\. Six females, including children, are killed in a junta airstrike on Butalin Township. Another airstrike damages seven houses in Gyeintali, Rakhine State.
3\. KIA-led allied forces capture an SNA military outpost in Homalin Township.
4\. British-based global accounting firm PwC announces plans to liquidate its Myanmar operations and leave the country.
We will also bring you several other important developments.
### 1. Junta Drops More Than 110 Bombs on Paletwa, Killing Nine Civilians, Including an Infant; Heavy Fighting Continues in Mindat and Kanpetlet
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Intense fighting between Myanmar's military junta and the Chin People's Army has continued in Mindat and Kanpetlet townships, areas controlled by the Chin People's Union (CPU), since mid-May, according to a statement issued by the organization.
The junta, reportedly suffering heavy losses in ground battles, has reinforced its troops and launched a military offensive toward Kyindwe town in Kanpetlet Township since September 26. Fighting remains ongoing.
The military has also repeatedly conducted airstrikes using fighter jets and Y-12 aircraft, targeting civilian homes, schools, hospitals, religious buildings, and shops.
On October 18, junta forces reportedly dropped two bombs from a fighter jet and another 64 bombs from a Y-12 aircraft on Pi Chaung Sone in the Dai region of Paletwa Township, Chin State.
The following day, October 19, the military dropped another two bombs from a fighter jet on the Lone Tu–Twi Sap junction and 48 bombs from a Y-12 aircraft on Pi Chaung Sone.
According to the CPU statement, the two consecutive days of airstrikes killed nine civilians, including a nursing infant, and injured five others. Residential buildings and shops were also damaged.
The Chin People's Union condemned the junta's attacks on civilians and urged residents to remain especially vigilant against further airstrikes as fighting continues.
### 2. Six Females Killed in Junta Airstrike on Butalin; Seven Houses Damaged in Gyeintali Bombing
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Six females, including children, were killed when Myanmar junta forces carried out an airstrike on Kwan Chan Village in Butalin Township, Sagaing Region, according to local reports.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on October 20, a gyrocopter departing from the Northwestern Regional Military Command in Monywa reportedly dropped a bomb on the village. The attack was followed by another strike using a suicide drone.
The victims included four members of the same family, aged 41, 17, 15, and 13, and two sisters aged 22 and 17. Another woman was injured.
Local residents said four victims died at the scene, while the remaining two died on their way to receive medical treatment.
In a separate incident, junta forces reportedly bombed Gyeintali town in Gwa Township, Rakhine State, at approximately 10:30 p.m. on October 19.
A fighter jet dropped two 300-pound bombs near a major roundabout in the town center.
Although no casualties were reported because relatively few residents remained in the town, approximately seven houses were destroyed or damaged.
Gyeintali is currently controlled by the Arakan Army (AA). Residents said the town has been subjected to repeated airstrikes despite the absence of active ground fighting, leaving civilians in constant fear for their safety.
### 3. Student Seriously Injured After SNA Member Opens Fire at Homalin Degree College
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
A student was seriously injured in a shooting involving two students on the campus of Homalin Degree College in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region.
The incident reportedly occurred on the morning of October 16 following an argument between a third-year distance-learning student who was also a member of the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) and a first-year distance-learning student from Seti Seik Village.
According to local residents, the SNA-affiliated student initiated the confrontation and physically assaulted the other student before pulling a pistol from his bag and opening fire.
The first-year student sustained gunshot wounds to his head and leg.
Because of the severity of his injuries, Homalin Hospital was reportedly unable to provide the necessary treatment, and he was transferred to a hospital in Mandalay for emergency medical care. His condition remains critical.
Homalin is under the control of the Myanmar military and the SNA. It remains unclear whether any legal action has been taken against the alleged shooter.
### 4. KIA-Led Allied Forces Capture Junta-Aligned SNA Outpost in Homalin Township
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied resistance forces have captured a military outpost belonging to the junta-aligned Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, according to local military sources.
The outpost, located in Ta Mel Pote Village in the Taung Oo village tract, was seized on October 18. Resistance forces reportedly recovered weapons and ammunition during the operation.
While fighting was taking place, junta forces conducted airstrikes near the border between Homalin Township and Kachin State. Military aircraft were also reportedly observed operating around Shwe Pyi Aye.
Local sources said the junta has been targeting gold-mining areas with airstrikes. Similar attacks in the past have resulted in civilian casualties.
According to military monitoring records, at least eight civilians were killed in July when junta aircraft bombed gold-mining areas far from active battlefields during fighting in Homalin Township.
Residents have been urged to take precautions and prioritize their safety amid the continuing military tensions.
### 5. Two Forcibly Recruited Junta Soldiers Defect to Arakan Army After Alleged Drug-Related Framing and Abuse
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Arakan Army (AA) has released video testimony from two junta soldiers who said they were forcibly recruited from Dagon Seikkan Township in Yangon Region and Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region before being sent to the front lines.
Both men have since defected to the AA.
One of the defectors, Private Soe Min Thein, said he was abducted while returning home from work in Dagon Seikkan on May 8.
He alleged that his captors placed illegal drugs in his hands, photographed him, and threatened him with a fabricated criminal charge.
He said he was given an ultimatum: join the military or go to prison.
The second defector, Aung Kyaw Naing, a motorcycle taxi driver from Pyigyidagun Township, said he was forcibly detained at approximately 5 a.m. on May 12.
He reported being held for about 17 days at the General Administration Department office and Battalion 910.
During military training at Training Center No. 8 in Lashio, he allegedly attempted to escape but was caught, handcuffed, shackled, and severely beaten.
Both men were subsequently assigned through Light Infantry Battalion 218 and sent to the Sane Kone area of Kyaukphyu Township.
Describing his experience at the front line, Soe Min Thein said:
"We had to carry heavy logs and dig trenches. If we couldn't do the work, they beat us, shouted at us, and threatened us. We suffered terribly. We were the ones constantly assigned to guard duty. Almost every day, we had to carry wounded soldiers from the front lines on stretchers."
The two soldiers said they became increasingly demoralized by their experiences and eventually decided to escape.
Junta troops reportedly opened fire as they fled, but neither was injured, and both successfully reached the Arakan Army.
Aung Kyaw Naing said the AA was treating them well and keeping them in a safe location.
"The AA has treated us very well. I want my family to know that I am alive and healthy," he said.
Soe Min Thein also urged other forcibly recruited soldiers serving on the front lines to defect to the AA if they wanted to survive and reunite with their families.
### 6. Junta Deploys Heavy Artillery in Bagan Archaeological Zone and Attacks Surrounding Communities
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
Myanmar's military junta has deployed an air force detachment and heavy artillery within the Bagan Archaeological Zone, using the historic area as a base for attacks on nearby townships and villages in Magway Region and along the Ayeyarwady River, according to the Myanmar Defense and Security Institute (MDSI).
The organization reported that since approximately May this year, junta forces operating from Nyaung-U Airport have conducted airstrikes using Mi-35 attack helicopters, gyrocopters, and motorized paragliders, also known as paramotors.
These operations have targeted Myingyan, Ngazun, Myitche, Yesagyo, Pakokku, and other areas across Magway Region.
The military has also reportedly established positions near the western entrance of Ananda Temple and at Bagan Eain Taw in the old city.
From these positions, junta forces have deployed 102 mm mortars and 105 mm howitzers, which are reportedly being used almost daily to bombard resistance strongholds and villages on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River in Magway Region.
The report accused the junta of exploiting Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for military purposes and carrying out attacks that it described as war crimes.
### 7. NUG Authorizes 16 Former Prisoners of War to Join People's Defense Force
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government (NUG) announced on October 19 that 16 former prisoners of war from the Special Military Region have been granted permission to serve as members of the People's Defense Force (PDF).
According to the ministry, the 16 individuals had demonstrated loyalty and fulfilled their assigned responsibilities while being held at a prisoner-of-war facility under the Special Military Region.
Their names have now been removed from the prisoner-of-war register, allowing them to join the PDF voluntarily.
The ministry said the decision was based on their record of faithfully performing assigned duties, participating in revolutionary activities, and having no involvement in war crimes.
The former prisoners had personally applied to become PDF members, and their applications were approved following recommendations from the relevant authorities.
The NUG Ministry of Defense stated that the PDF maintains prisoners of war in accordance with military law and established military codes of conduct.
### 8. NUG Welcomes Expulsion of Junta-Controlled Myanmar Human Rights Commission From SEANF
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
The National Unity Government (NUG) has welcomed the decision by the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) to expel the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), which operates under the military junta.
The NUG accused the MNHRC of failing to protect civilians from serious human rights violations committed by the military since the 2021 coup and of helping conceal those abuses.
According to the NUG, the commission has also failed to comply with the Paris Principles, the internationally recognized standards governing independent national human rights institutions.
As a result, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions withdrew its accreditation in 2024, while the Asia Pacific Forum terminated its membership in 2025.
The NUG expressed appreciation to independent civil society organizations, working groups advocating for independent national human rights institutions, and regional human rights organizations that submitted evidence supporting the commission's removal.
It also thanked SEANF governing board members from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste for listening to civil society concerns and supporting the decision.
The NUG said it is accelerating cooperation with civil society organizations and revolutionary groups to establish a Union Human Rights Commission (UHRC) capable of genuinely protecting the rights of the people.
### 9. Global Accounting Giant PwC Announces Liquidation of Myanmar Operations
m.CDM | October 20, 2026
PwC, one of the world's leading accounting, auditing, and business advisory networks, has announced plans to liquidate its Myanmar operations and permanently withdraw from the country.
According to a notice published in newspapers on October 20, the company will wind up its operations in accordance with Section 156 of Myanmar's Insolvency Law and the relevant regulations.
A meeting has been scheduled for October 30 at 10 a.m. to discuss the distribution of company assets, appointment of a liquidator, and formation of a creditors' committee.
London-based PwC entered Myanmar in 2012, providing business advisory, taxation, and auditing services to domestic and international companies.
Although the company has not publicly disclosed detailed reasons for its departure, business observers believe the decision may be connected to the political and economic instability that has followed the 2021 military coup.
Myanmar has experienced an exodus of foreign companies amid worsening economic conditions.
Business representatives have identified foreign currency restrictions, import and export controls, rising prices, and labor shortages linked to compulsory military conscription as major obstacles to business operations.
PwC operates globally with more than 360,000 professionals and employees. The original report describes the firm's global value as exceeding US$60 billion.
### Closing
That concludes today's m.CDM Domestic News program.
The news reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
For the latest news and updates, please subscribe to our channel.
Thank you for watching and listening to m.CDM Domestic News.
