Myanmar army chief pledges to crush all opposition

The Myanmar Junta is facing the toughest challenge to its authority since seizing power in a February 2021 coup. A coalition of three armed ethnic minority groups called the Brotherhood Alliance, have made significant gains in the north, thereby galvanizing other opponents of the Junta. Increasingly losing ground, the military has stepped up its air assaults, with civilians frequently at the receiving end. Since the 2021 coup, more than 4,400 people have been killed in the military's crackdown on dissent. United Nations estimates about 2.3 million have been displaced by the violence so far. On the eve of the coup's third anniversary, Myanmar's military rulers extended a state of emergency, in place since the 2021 coup, by another six months, once again delaying the promised elections. While announcing the extension of the state of emergency, Myanmar army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, pledged to crush all opposition to the military rule.