m.CDM Myanmar Domestic News
Good day, everyone.
Welcome to m.CDM’s Myanmar Domestic News program. We will now bring you the latest news and developments from across Myanmar.
Today’s headlines include:
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A DMO PDF resistance fighter was killed in fighting near Loiyin Mountain. Two military junta soldiers were reportedly killed in an attack in Tada-U Township. Fighting continues in three KIA brigade areas, while a junta tactical commander was reportedly wounded in Khaunglanhpu.
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A military airstrike in Hpapun killed one woman and injured two others, including a five-month-old baby. More than 20 bombs were dropped on Rathedaung, injuring three civilians. Wetlet Township also came under at least seven aerial attacks.
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Political prisoner Ko Zeya Aung was allegedly beaten by prison staff and other inmates and placed in solitary confinement at Magway Prison.
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Dr. Cynthia Maung called for long-term assistance to Myanmar during meetings with Japanese lawmakers. She was also honored in Bill Gates’ Heroes in the Field program.
We will also cover other important developments in today’s news.
1. Resistance Fighter Killed Near Loiyin Mountain; Two Junta Soldiers Killed in Tada-U; Fighting Continues in Three KIA Brigade Areas
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
A resistance fighter from Battalion 1102 of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), Southern Shan–Kayah (Karenni) Military Region, was killed during fighting at the foot of Loiyin Mountain near Mobye, on the Shan–Karenni border.
According to a statement released by the battalion, the fallen fighter, identified as John Bosco, died on October 15 while fighting against junta forces.
The battalion expressed its condolences to his family and honored his sacrifice.
Heavy fighting has continued around Loiyin Mountain since October 7 and 8. Resistance sources said junta troops, having suffered significant losses, have been using aircraft and drones to attack resistance positions.
Earlier, on October 8, a platoon commander from Mobye PDF Battalion 1001 was also killed during fighting near Mobye.
Meanwhile, in Tada-U Township, Kyaukse District, Mandalay Region, the Red Dragon Guerrilla Force (Myingyan) announced that it had attacked junta troops stationed at a monastery in Kyatpyin Village.
According to the group, approximately 20 junta soldiers had established a checkpoint at the monastery and were collecting money from passing civilians.
Resistance fighters launched a surprise attack at around 6:30 p.m. on October 17.
The group claimed that two junta soldiers who were using their phones near the checkpoint entrance were killed instantly, while three others were seriously wounded.
Later that night, at approximately 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., junta forces reportedly sent two vehicles carrying about 60 reinforcements from the Chaungzon and Gwekon areas to the monastery.
In Kachin State, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) reported on October 18 that intense fighting was continuing in areas controlled by Brigades 4, 7 and 8.
In Brigade 7 territory, near Zidan Village in Khaunglanhpu Township, KIA forces reportedly ambushed a junta tactical commander near Border Marker 30.
The commander, a colonel who had arrived to oversee military operations, was reportedly wounded in the attack.
Fighting has also continued in the Momeik area under KIA Brigade 4.
In Brigade 8 territory around Indaw, military tensions remain high between KIA allied forces and the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA), which is aligned with the junta.
In Lone Ton Village, Mohnyin Township, near Indawgyi Lake, SNA militia forces have reportedly been firing heavy weapons toward the Heipan junction.
The junta has also been reinforcing its troops across Kachin State and conducting increasingly strict inspections of civilians, according to local reports.
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Junta Airstrikes Kill Woman in Hpapun, Injure Civilians in Rathedaung, and Target Wetlet Township
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
A woman was killed and two other civilians, including a five-month-old baby, were injured when junta forces carried out an airstrike on Ward 3 in Hpapun town, Mutraw District, Karen State.
According to local sources, a junta fighter jet bombed the residential area shortly after 11 p.m. on October 16.
The injured included a five-month-old infant and a man in his forties.
Local sources said the junta has been using Y-12 aircraft to deliver supplies to its Hpapun tactical command base in an effort to prevent the position from falling.
Junta forces have also reportedly continued nighttime airstrikes using fighter jets and shelling with 120-millimeter mortars.
Meanwhile, joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) have reportedly intercepted junta columns advancing along the Kamamaung–Hpapun road.
Resistance sources said junta troops suffered casualties during these attacks, and some newly recruited soldiers surrendered to resistance forces.
In Rakhine State, junta aircraft reportedly dropped more than 20 bombs on Rathedaung town and nearby villages between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on October 18.
According to local reports, Y-12 aircraft carried out the bombing raids.
Explosions were reported in the Southeast and Gutapyin wards of Rathedaung town, as well as in Pyachaunggyi and Pyinkhaung villages.
Two women and one man were reportedly injured.
In Sagaing Region, the northeastern part of Wetlet Township was also subjected to at least seven aerial attacks.
The attacks reportedly began at approximately 11:50 a.m. and involved two fighter jets and one Mi-35 helicopter.
The full extent of casualties and damage was not immediately known.
Earlier, on October 12, junta aircraft bombed western Wetlet Township, reportedly killing four civilians and injuring 13 others.
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Twelve Junta Soldiers Captured as Prisoners of War in Rakhine State
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
Twelve Myanmar junta soldiers have reportedly been captured as prisoners of war during recent fighting in Rakhine State, according to an announcement made by the People’s Goal organization on October 18.
The information was disclosed during the organization’s weekly Pyay Ha Project program.
According to People’s Goal, a total of 22 members of the junta’s military, police and militia forces either defected, surrendered or were captured as prisoners of war during the second week of October.
Five personnel reportedly defected to resistance forces.
They included one soldier from Naypyidaw, three soldiers from Sagaing Region and one police officer from Yangon Region.
Another 17 personnel were captured as prisoners of war.
Of those, 12 were junta soldiers, all captured in Rakhine State.
The remaining five were militia members, including four captured in Magway Region and one in Mandalay Region, according to records compiled by People’s Goal.
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Myanmar Ambassador Warns UN That Junta’s Nuclear Energy Program May Not Be Intended for Peaceful Purposes
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, has warned that the military junta’s nuclear energy program may not be intended exclusively for peaceful purposes.
He raised these concerns during a discussion on nuclear weapons held on October 16 at United Nations Headquarters.
The meeting was part of the Disarmament and International Security Committee of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun said it was difficult to believe that the Myanmar military would use its proposed nuclear energy program solely for peaceful purposes.
He expressed concern that nuclear technology could be misused for military or other purposes.
The ambassador reaffirmed Myanmar’s strong commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
He also expressed concern about the growing global risk of nuclear weapons being used, the modernization of nuclear arsenals and the increasing reliance on nuclear weapons in military strategies.
According to the ambassador, Myanmar has once again submitted a draft resolution on nuclear disarmament to the United Nations General Assembly this year.
Myanmar has also proposed that the resolution be introduced every two years beginning this year.
He reaffirmed Myanmar’s support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and called for stronger international efforts to bring the treaty into force as soon as possible.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun also urged UN member states to prevent the transfer of weapons, ammunition, military equipment, aviation fuel, dual-use materials and related technologies to the Myanmar military.
The military junta has signed an agreement with Russia to construct a small nuclear reactor in Myanmar.
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SCEF Holds Second Meeting With Mon Revolutionary Organizations
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
The Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) has held its second meeting with Mon revolutionary organizations opposing Myanmar’s military dictatorship.
According to an official statement, the online meeting took place at 5 p.m. on October 16.
Representatives from several Mon revolutionary organizations participated, including the New Mon State Party–Anti-Dictatorship (NMSP-AD), Mon State Federal Council (MSFC), Mon State Consultative Council (MSCC), and Committee Representing Mon State Hluttaw (CRMH).
SCEF representatives also attended.
SCEF’s rotating chairperson, Khu Oo Reh, delivered the opening remarks.
SCEF Secretary Padoh Saw Taw Nee Moo then explained the council’s political processes and activities, followed by discussions among participants.
General Nai Layi Kaung of the NMSP-AD delivered the closing remarks.
According to the statement, the meeting concluded successfully.
The two sides first met in July and held their second meeting approximately two and a half months later.
However, the statement did not disclose details of the issues discussed or any agreements reached.
During October, SCEF has also held separate discussions with the Arakan Army (AA), Pa-O revolutionary organizations and the Spring Revolution Alliance (SRA).
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Political Prisoner Beaten and Placed in Solitary Confinement at Magway Prison
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
A political prisoner who attempted to formally report oppressive prison conditions was allegedly beaten by prison staff and other inmates before being placed in solitary confinement at Magway Central Prison.
The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) reported the incident on October 18.
The prisoner, Ko Zeya Aung, also known as Tayoke Gyi, is serving a 20-year sentence under Sections 50(j) and 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.
He was transferred from Obo Prison in Mandalay to Magway Prison on July 28, 2025.
According to PPNM, prison staff and several inmates acting on the instructions of prison authorities assaulted him.
The incident began on October 12, shortly before the evening prison lockdown.
Ko Zeya Aung had attempted to report several restrictive practices inside the prison, including excessively long periods during which prisoners were required to sit in formation and rules requiring prisoners to walk in pairs to the dining area, limiting their freedom during meals.
He went to the office of the officer responsible for Ward 3 to raise these concerns.
However, the officer instructed him to submit his complaints after lockdown and sent him away.
As Ko Zeya Aung walked toward the dining area near the ward office, an inmate known as Sit Thar Gyi, who served as the senior prisoner supervisor of Ward 3, allegedly provoked a confrontation.
According to PPNM, approximately five other inmates then joined the confrontation and punched Ko Zeya Aung.
The ward officer subsequently blew a whistle to summon assistance.
Eight inmates and six prison staff members reportedly arrived and joined in beating him.
Ko Zeya Aung was then forcibly taken to Cell 37 and placed in solitary confinement with only the clothes he was wearing.
PPNM identified senior prison officer Kaung Myat Thu, who was responsible for Ward 3, as the person who directly ordered the beating and solitary confinement.
The organization also alleged that the inmate who initiated the confrontation, Sit Thar Gyi, was serving a sentence for a drug-related offense and regularly acted on behalf of prison authorities.
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Dr. Cynthia Maung Calls for Long-Term Assistance to Myanmar in Japan and Receives Recognition From Bill Gates
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
Dr. Cynthia Maung, founder of the Mae Tao Clinic, met with 15 Japanese lawmakers from different political parties who support democracy in Myanmar.
The meeting took place at the Japanese parliament on the morning of October 16.
During the discussion, Dr. Cynthia Maung emphasized that Myanmar’s prolonged conflict requires more than financial assistance.
She called for sustained humanitarian support, technical assistance and long-term international commitments to help communities affected by the crisis.
Dr. Cynthia Maung also met with Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Akiko Ikuina.
According to reports, Japanese officials pledged to continue providing assistance that directly reaches vulnerable people inside Myanmar.
Dr. Cynthia Maung is visiting Japan to receive the Okinawa Peace Prize, which recognizes individuals and organizations promoting nonviolent peacebuilding in the Asia-Pacific region.
The award ceremony is scheduled for October 19.
The Okinawa Peace Prize is presented every two years.
Mae Tao Clinic is reportedly the first overseas-based organization to be selected for the award.
Meanwhile, philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has recognized Dr. Cynthia Maung as a frontline healthcare hero for her decades of humanitarian service.
For nearly 40 years, she has provided free medical care to refugees, internally displaced people and migrant workers along the Thailand–Myanmar border.
Through his Heroes in the Field video series, Gates highlighted her work in delivering medical services to remote conflict-affected communities.
Her healthcare programs include the treatment and prevention of malaria, malnutrition and diarrheal diseases.
The Gates Foundation has also provided financial support for Dr. Cynthia Maung’s mobile maternal and reproductive healthcare programs.
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Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand Campaign Against Junta-Issued CI Documents
m.CDM | October 18, 2026
Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand have launched a campaign opposing the military junta’s Certificate of Identity (CI) documents.
The campaign began on October 18 and has reportedly attracted participation from large numbers of Myanmar workers.
The Myanmar Migrant Workers Rights Coordination Committee in Thailand (MMWRCCT) is leading the campaign and has submitted four demands to the Thai government.
The demands include allowing Myanmar workers to work legally in Thailand using Thai pink identification cards and work permits without requiring CI documents or passports.
The workers are also calling for permission to renew work permits without visas and for visas to be issued based on valid work permits and pink cards.
On October 18, a Sunday holiday, many Myanmar migrant workers shared photographs of themselves holding campaign signs opposing the CI requirement on social media.
Labor rights advocate Ko Ye Min told People’s Spring that additional workers were expected to join the campaign.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar military junta reopened CI processing centers in Thailand on October 14.
The centers are located in Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai and Chonburi.
According to Ko Ye Min, the centers remained largely deserted, with no applicants reportedly appearing during the first five days after reopening.
Myanmar workers applying for CI documents are required by the junta to provide proof that they have transferred 25 percent of their salaries to their families through officially designated financial channels.
For a three-month period, this requirement amounts to approximately 6,000 Thai baht.
Workers who cannot provide the required remittance receipts reportedly have to pay an additional 1,000 baht to obtain fraudulent transfer documentation at the CI centers.
Including the CI document fees and other expenses, the total cost can exceed 7,000 baht.
Some Thai lawmakers and employer representatives have criticized the Thai government’s decision to allow the Myanmar junta to operate CI processing centers inside Thailand.
They argue that allowing the junta to conduct these operations amounts to permitting interference and an extension of its influence into Thailand.
Closing
That concludes today’s m.CDM Myanmar Domestic News program.
The news reports presented today were contributed by Ko Thit and Lu Lay.
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