Major General Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson of military council’ has confessed that their regime has lost military outposts across the country due to drone attacks of resistance forces. However, he said that the military council will systematically prevent more drone attacks through developing strategies.
This interview with Ko Nyein, an official in charge of Cloud Wings operating in the territory of Brigade 6 of the Karen National Union, about their missions after the coup, preparations for attack, the overall cost and enforcing more drone attacks.
TLT: How have the drone missions been carried out in respective area?
Ko Nyein: Our drone forces have attacked the military and administrative targets of the enemy such as canon points and air fields in guerilla warfare. We could hinder and disturb the military focus of enemy. We contributed in the offensives and attacks of our resistance forces in ambushes and raiding the outposts of enemies.
TLT: How do the drone force prepare for the missions?
Ko Nyein: There are many steps and procedures in a drone mission for successful attacks on a target. We have to do maintenance of our equipment. The process of a drone mission is more complicated than an ordinary ground attack. We have to seriously prepare for a mission. We dropped more than 200 bombs in major mission such as in Chaunghnakwa attack. The bombs used in such attacks were developed from grenades fired by big guns. The maintenance cost and the for the drones and value of grenades are very high.
TLT: What is the amount of cost for each drone mission?
Ko Nyein: Each drone mission is handled by five or six persons. It mainly relies on equipment, device and technology. The coast of each drone mission is equivalent to that of each mission of a company. While the military council’s troops need the support of aerial attack, the resistance forces also provide drone attack assistance to the ground forces.
TLT: The momentum of revolution is increasing, with the military council is under the attacks of resistance forces. In this circumstance, will the drone missions be intensified?
Ko Nyein: The momentum of revolution is increasing. We don’t want to mention the previous time. We could not take a break. It hardly got a rest for one week in a month. For example in ‘Operation 1027’, we left for the operation on 25 October night, and joined the battle fields. Since 26 November evening, we have not taken any rest until now. We have to drop bombs both days and nights in different areas to support ground forces, the columns and the ethnic armed groups. Our missions have also increased with the escalation of collaborative attacks of ground forces. We will harmoniously take part in the future attacks.