Myanmar Domestic News Updates – April 20, 2025 Evening
๐๐ 1. Revolutionary Forces Seize Strategic Tee Hta Base on the Thailand–Myanmar Border
April 20
Revolutionary joint forces have successfully seized control of the military junta’s strategic Tee Hta base located along the Thailand–Myanmar border in Dawei District of Tanintharyi Region, according to statements from the allied resistance groups.
The joint operation to capture the Tee Hta base was led by Brigade 4 of the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA), in collaboration with the Force for Federal Democracy (FFD), PDF fighters, and drone trainees under Brigade 4. The attack was launched around 5:30 PM on April 19, and the base was successfully taken, as confirmed by a statement from the FFD.
The FFD announced that the commander of the strategic base was captured dead. However, Brigade 4 of the KNU has so far only confirmed casualties on the junta’s side and noted that weapons and ammunition seized from the base are still being catalogued and examined.
The operation began on April 12 with a surrounding siege of the base, which had three outposts spread across hill positions and was manned with substantial junta forces. Two days prior to the final assault, the first hilltop outpost near Tee Hta village had already been captured. The resistance forces continued their offensive, and by the evening of April 19, they had successfully seized the entire strategic base, confirmed Padoh Aenar, Secretary of KNU’s Brigade 4 for Myeik–Dawei District.
Local sources reported that since the start of the assault, the junta had responded with air support, deploying jet fighters, Y-12 aircraft, K-8W planes, and Mi-17 helicopters. This escalation forced local civilians to flee toward the Thai side of the border for safety.
The FFD also noted that its newly graduated drone trainees immediately engaged in combat on the ground and played a critical role in capturing the base. The group has called for new recruits, including in Tanintharyi Region, inviting individuals committed to the fight against military dictatorship to apply.
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๐๐ 2. Kim-Led Group Provides Earthquake Relief to 1,000 Affected Families
April 20
The “Suu 80 Birthday Campaign,” led by Kim (also known as Ko Htein Lin), the youngest son of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has provided aid to 1,000 families affected by the recent earthquake, according to an announcement from the campaign group.
The group released an update detailing their efforts up to April 15, highlighting emergency relief initiatives for victims across Myanmar. They supplied essential relief items to ground rescue teams and delivered urgent aid to critically affected areas.
This was the group’s first round of assistance and included one-month’s worth of supplies for 1,000 families—comprising rice, cooking oil, canned fish, instant noodles, medicine, clean drinking water, ready-to-eat curry packs, dried fish, jars of fermented fish paste, and milk powder for infants.
In addition to food aid, the group is also installing solar lighting poles, building temporary toilets, and providing water pumps for daily use, according to the campaign leaders.
The Suu 80 Birthday Campaign expressed gratitude to donors and ground volunteers for enabling these efforts and pledged to continue providing updates on ongoing support activities.
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๐๐ 3. Mon Resistance Calls for Support in Drone Fundraising Campaign “The Return of Hintha in the Sky”
April 20
The Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), a Mon resistance group, has launched a campaign inviting public participation in “The Return of Hintha in the Sky,” a drone defense initiative.
Led by the MNLA's Drone Division, this is their first-ever campaign in collaboration with international fundraisers. The goal is to procure new drones and upgrade existing ones, thereby strengthening air and ground capabilities during ongoing battles.
The campaign stresses the vital role drones play in modern resistance—enhancing surveillance and defense, and significantly contributing to the safety of people’s defense fighters on the frontlines.
Running from April 20 to May 31, the campaign aims to raise 300 million Kyats. According to “Support for Myanmar from Australia and Singapore,” which is managing the project, the funds will be used to purchase 20 drones in total, including both multi-rotor and fixed-wing models, as well as to upgrade current drone units used by MNLA forces.
Campaign organizers are urging Myanmar nationals at home and abroad, including international fundraisers, to support the initiative—aimed at securing air superiority against junta forces in the skies.
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๐๐ 4. KNU Warns Civilians to Stay Away from Targeted Structures Amid Junta Attacks on Non-Military Sites
April 20
The Karen National Union (KNU) has issued a public warning urging civilians to stay away from buildings that could become targets, as the junta’s military continues to launch deliberate attacks on non-combatant civilian populations.
The statement follows an intensification of battles across Karen State, where junta troops have escalated attacks specifically aimed at civilians. The KNU stated that the military has been targeting non-military infrastructure—including schools, monasteries, religious buildings, and areas housing internally displaced persons (IDPs)—with airstrikes and heavy artillery.
The KNU has also advised journalists and local activists to exercise caution in their reporting, especially regarding the locations where civilians are hiding. Doing so helps prevent these sites from being identified and targeted by junta forces from the air or with long-range weapons.
The KNU appealed to civilians in conflict zones to relocate away from potential targets and avoid unnecessary travel unless absolutely essential, due to the high risks posed by ongoing military operations.
This news report was submitted to Radio NUG by correspondent Khant.
#SpringRevolution
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