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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 9 July 2024
Myanmar's ethnic rebels say they captured an airport in a new

setback for the military government

By GRANT PECK Press on Monday his staff had
Associated Press fled the property.
BANGKOK (AP) — One of A travel agent in Thandwe,
Myanmar's most powerful about 5 kilometers (3 miles)
ethnic minority groups bat- east of Ngapali, told the
tling the military government AP that she had heard the
said it captured an airport sound of the fighting com-
serving the country's top ing from outside of the town,
world-class beach resort, but the situation inside was
marking the first time resis- quiet with no guerrillas in the
tance forces have seized immediate vicinity.
such a facility. Both spoke on condition of
Residents of the area in the anonymity because of fear
southern part of the western for their safety.
state of Rakhine, along with Western nations including
local media, also reported the United States have im-
the seizure of Thandwe Air- posed economic and dip-
port, also known as Ma Zin lomatic sanctions on Myan-
Airport, about 260 kilometers mar's military leaders and
(160 miles) northwest of Yan- businesses and their cronies
gon, Myanmar's biggest city. in response to what they
It's the latest major setback see as serious human rights
for the military government violations including usurping
that took power in 2021 after democracy.
ousting the elected govern- The military's critics urge
ment of Aung San Suu Kyi. stronger measures, especially
Armed resistance to military In this handout photo provided by Mandalay People's Defence Force, members of the Ta'ang blocking the supply of jet fuel
National Liberation Army, one of the ethnic armed forces in the Brotherhood Alliance, and the
rule is taking place in much Mandalay People's Defence Force pose for a photograph in front of the captured toll-gate in to Myanmar, to try to limit its
of the country, led by pro- Nawnghkio township in Shan state, Myanmar, June 26, 2024. use of air power, which has
democracy militants as well Associated Press been frequently employed
as guerrilla groups affiliated and often causes civilian
with ethnic minorities. fighting in the area, as well Rakhine state, where they Ngapali, a 7-kilometer (4- casualties. Many countries
The violence in Myanmar has as a cache of ammunition. are the majority and seek mile) long beach on the Bay honor such an embargo,
caused international con- The Associated Press could autonomy from Myanmar's of Bengal, had been getting but there are no measures
cern, with its military widely not independently verify the central government. It has attention from international to force others to do so.
condemned for the dispro- claims by the group, which recently also called itself the tourism but development The human rights group Am-
portionate use of deadly in the past have been dis- Arakha Army. stalled due to COVID-19 pan- nesty International on Mon-
force to try to quash its op- puted. Since November last year, demic and the conflict that day issued a report docu-
ponents. Critics of the military The seizure of the airport, the group has been on the followed the army takeover. menting "new shipments of
have urged the international one of six in Rakhine, would offensive and has gained Since April, sporadic fight- aviation fuel to Myanmar de-
community to impose ever- appear to open the way for control of nine of 17 town- ing in nearby villages halted spite global calls to deprive
stronger sanctions to restrain the rebels to seize Rakhine's ships, along with one in flights to the airport, which the country's military of the
its use of force. coastal region, even as they neighboring Chin state. It is serves the beach resort, resources it needs to carry
The Arakan Army said in a consolidates control over also part of an armed ethnic and most of the 46 hotels out unlawful air strikes."
statement on the Telegram much of the northern part alliance that launched an and guest houses were shut It said the evasive means by
messaging app on Sunday of the state. offensive last October and down. which Myanmar obtains the
night that it had recovered The Arakan Army is the mili- gained strategic territory in A Ngapali hotel executive fuel involve convoluted sup-
the bodies of more than tary wing of the Buddhist the country's northeast on who had recently escaped ply chains to make it hard to
400 soldiers from the recent Rakhine ethnic group in the border with China. the area told The Associated trace.q

Rwanda says it is aware of the UK’s intention

to terminate contentious deportation scheme

By IGNATIUS SSUUNA UK, not Rwanda." This is the Minister Keir Starmer said
Associated Press first time Rwandan authorities in his first news conference
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — are officially commenting Saturday that the Rwanda
Rwanda's government says it is on plans by the UK's new deportation plan "was dead
aware of the United Kingdom's Labour Party government to and buried before it started."
intention to terminate its plan cancel the scheme, which Starmer denounced it as a
to deport asylum-seekers to drew criticism from human "gimmick," though it's unclear
the East African country. In rights watchdogs and others what he will do differently as
a statement late Monday, as cruel and inhumane. It a record number of people British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following
the office of the Rwandan was not clear if Rwandan have come ashore in the first his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Saturday,
government spokesman said authorities were reacting to six months of the year. July 6, 2024.
the deal had been initiated by press reports or had been The Rwanda deportation Associated Press
the UK "to address the crisis of given official notification plan once was billed as a lives on a journey that could the UK government hundreds
irregular migration affecting of plans to terminate the solution that would deter end with their deportation to of millions of dollars without
the UK — a problem of the agreement. British Prime migrants from risking their East Africa. So far, it has cost taking flight.q