The DVB news portal reported the air strikes occurred as the army staged an offensive in the Pinlebu area of Sagaing in northwest Myanmar, citing residents who heard aircraft and explosions on Saturday night before phone lines and the internet went down. "We cannot contact them due to the internet and phone lines blackout," the activist, who declined to be identified, said of his opposition colleagues. Earlier in the conflict, the military had at times shut down the internet, particularly in cities, in a bid to curb demonstrations. Since Thursday, the military had cut internet access in 11 conflict-hit districts in Chin State and in the Magway region, the Myanmar Now news portal reported, citing residents and members of PDFs. Some militia groups have also claimed responsibility for blowing up scores of telecommunication towers run by Mytel, a partly army-controlled company.

Source: bd News24 September 27, 2021 06:00 UTC