A Myanmar military strategist and three junta-appointed administrators were among 10 regime forces killed by People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in the last two days during operations against regime targets.
Meanwhile, at least four civilians including three children were killed at the hands of regime forces.
Incidents were reported in Karen, Chin and Rakhine states and Sagaing, Mandalay and Bago regions.
The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks by PDFs and EAOs, as well as the regime’s latest atrocities.
Junta military strategist assassinated by resistance snipers in Karen
Military Colonel Win Min Oo, the chief strategist of Tactical Battalion 441, was confirmed killed by resistance snipers of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and its allied Federal Wing Drone Force during a five-hour firefight in Myawaddy Township, Karen State on Wednesday, claimed KNLA’s Cobra Column.
The fierce clash started at 9:30 a.m. when the KNLA and the PDF group attacked forces of Myanmar military Infantry Battalions 102, 8 and 207, which were invading the Luu Khoe area.
During the attack, two nearby regime military bases supported their ground forces with artillery strikes against the resistance groups.
Four other junta soldiers were seriously injured in the clash. No resistance casualties were reported.
In the evening, one more soldier was killed by KNLA snipers during an attack on a military base at a hilltop near Lay Kaw Kaw town in the township.
Two kindergarten students killed in junta artillery strike in Chin
Two kindergarten students, James Siang Za Uk, 6, and Henry Bawi Za Lian, 6, were killed in junta artillery strikes on Bonlwin Village in Hakha Township, Chin State on Wednesday afternoon while they were returning from school, local media outlet The Chin Journal reported.
Another student, a 6-year-old girl, was seriously injured by the explosives. There was no clash with resistance forces going on at the time, and the junta forces shelled the civilian area unprovoked, the local media reported, quoting residents.
Girl, 14, killed in junta artillery strike in Rakhine
Grade 7 student Ma Nyein Nyein San, 14, was killed in Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State on Wednesday morning when the Myanmar military’s Yesoe Chaung base indiscriminately shelled Byeintaw Village with three artillery rounds, unprovoked by any clash, reported local media outlet Western News.
The junta shelling prompted most of the village’s residents to flee.
Two civilians were injured in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State on the same day when regime forces guarding a bridge used both heavy explosives and firearms to attack nearby villages following a blast at the bridge.
Disabled civilian shot dead by junta forces in Sagaing
Disabled person Ko Myint Oo, 45, who was deaf and had only one arm, was shot dead by regime forces in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region at 5 a.m. Wednesday during their raid on Shwe Bon Thar Village, said the Civil Defense and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM).
The victim was gunned down while he was attempting to evacuate his elderly parents. Regime forces also looted nearly 2 million kyats (US$950) in cash and two mobile phones from houses in the village.
After learning of the raid, local resistance forces used land mines and 40-mm explosives to ambush regime troops returning to Kyaukyit police outpost after the operation.
Regime forces fled in different directions after two military troops were injured in the PDF ambush.
Villagers trapped by surprise junta air raid in Sagaing
Several hundred residents have been trapped since two Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships attacked their villages, including Yin Paung Taing, in Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday, as they are surrounded by about 100 regime troops. The troops were airlifted in by four transport helicopters, according to residents.
No further details of the situation have emerged since then.
On Aug. 11, 18 people including resistance fighters were killed in Yin Paung Taing when three Mi-35 gunships attacked a crowd in the village. Sixty troops dropped by helicopters raided and occupied the village for two days.
Four junta soldiers killed by PDF land mines in Bago
Four regime troops were killed and three seriously injured in Kyaukgyi Township, Bago Region on Tuesday when resistance fighters of Taungoo District PDF Battalion 3502 used land mines to ambush 100 regime forces near Nyaung Pin Thar Village in the township.
After being ambushed, the junta troops burned down a small bridge nearby.
Junta police officer killed in Bago
A junta police officer was killed and two others injured in Paungde Township, Bago Region on Wednesday afternoon when PDF fighters of Paungde PDF Battalion 3601 used a land mine to ambush regime policemen on three motorbikes on a road.
Junta-appointed ward administrator attacked in Bago
The resistance group Tharyarwaddy Galone Force claimed to have shot and wounded regime-appointed ward administrator U Tun Tun Win and his wife Ma Lei Lei Win, a civil servant working for a junta-controlled agriculture bank, on the Yangon-Pyay highway between Tharyarwaddy and Letpandan townships in Bago Region on Wednesday morning.
Bago Regional PDF said the attack was a part of Operation Nann Htike Aung being carried out against regime targets.
In the attack, the administrator was seriously injured after being shot in the waist and his wife was injured in the leg, the PDF attackers told local media.
Junta-appointed village administrator assassinated in Mandalay
The resistance group Bo Kaung Kin Revolution Group claimed on Wednesday that it killed Aung Min Tun, a regime-appointed village administrator of Myauk Tangar Village in Madaya Township in Mandalay Region.
The owner of illegal gambling businesses, the dead man was also notorious for threatening and torturing innocent civilians suspected of being PDF supporters, the group said.
A PDF photo shows the administrator inspecting a man who is tied and blindfolded.
Junta-appointed village administrator killed in Mandalay
U Aung Win Gyi, the regime-appointed village administrator of Oakpho Ywarthit Village in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region was reportedly assassinated by combined PDF groups on Wednesday, according to local media.
He was notorious for torturing and exploiting civilians, the PDF groups said.
An improvised gun was seized from the administrator.
