Myanmar Military Junta Denies Military the Existence of a Coup and Denies Arrest of Its Leader

Myanmar Military, Aug 2024 Photo: @Defense_Post

August 14, 2024 Hour: 5:10 pm

He faces criticism for the advance of an alliance of armed rebel groups that took control in Shan state, in northern China.

The Myanmar military junta denied on Wednesday reports of the arrest of its leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, in the capital city of Naypyidó, amid an alleged coup within the armed forces.

«We want to inform the public that both the head of state and the officials are performing their duties with dedication and commitment», said the board’s spokesman, Zaw Min Tun, to local media.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in which it dismissed such rumours as “a campaign of disinformation to destroy peace and stability in our country”.

The text also explained that the unreliable information came from a comment posted on 12 August on an account on the social network Facebook, which has 11,000 followers and belongs to a member of the Civil Disobedience Movement, following the coup d’état that brought Min Aung Hlaing to power on 1 February 2021.

The @UN and humanitarian partners condemn the recent escalation of violence that has led to heavy civilian casualties in #Myanmar.

Under international humanitarian law, all parties to the conflict must protect civilians and civilian property.

Statement: https://t.co/7oAra3LHWW pic.twitter.com/tfwcnmA5kP
— UN Humanitarian (@UNOCHA) August 12, 2024

The head of the military junta has faced strong public criticism from supporters of the army because in recent weeks an alliance of armed rebel groups took control of northern Shan state, which borders China’s Yunnan province.

The Brotherhood Alliance, composed of the Army for the Democratic Alliance of Burma, the Arakan Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, launched an offensive in that territory, which is considered one of the greatest victories for the rebel forces since the coup.

The attack ended 10 years of democratic transition in Myanmar and opened a spiral of violence that has exacerbated armed clashes.

The UN warned on Tuesday in a report that there is “substantial evidence” of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar Army “have escalated at an alarming rate” over the past year.