Escalating opposition tactics challenge Myanmar’s state administration junta in June

The month of June was particularly challenging for Myanmar’s State Administration Council junta.

The regime faced additional US sanctions on its banking sector, failed negotiations with ethnic armies, and defections of military units to the anti-coup opposition.

However, a string of coordinated attacks on bridges in the east of the country seemingly went unnoticed, despite targeting infrastructure essential for the army’s resupply.

These operations reflected a notable new level of strategic planning and tactical execution by the opposition, calculated to aggravate the army’s central vulnerability.

The attacks are part of an operational approach designed to increase pressure on isolated regime positions through the destruction of key lines of communication.

The opposition’s success against the regime can be measured as military movements become fewer and concentrated in larger convoys requiring the escort of armored fighting vehicles and helicopter gunships.

The Myanmar Air Force has failed to achieve an appreciable impact on the battlefield despite record numbers of sorties flown this year, terrorizing civilians while bolstering the morale of embattled regime outposts.

In conclusion, the remarkable mobilization, sustainability, and access to armaments that the opposition has achieved in two short years continue to evolve in significant ways that are not immediately obvious but undoubtedly significant.