At least 89 Myanmar junta forces including pro-junta militia members as well as four resistance fighters were killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) stepped up attacks on regime targets across the country.
Incidents were reported in Tanintharyi, Bago, Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing regions and northern Shan State.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs.
Some military casualties could not be independently verified.
Heavy clashes erupt in Bago as resistance groups raid military targets
At least 30 regime soldiers and police officers were killed in Kyaukkyi Township, Bago Region on Tuesday when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), and PDF groups from Yangon and Bago regions and Mon State jointly raided five regime bases including a police station and military checkpoints in Nat Than Kwin Village, an official of the No. 2 Military Region of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) told the media.
In the clashes, four resistance members were also killed. The combined groups also used mines to destroy the Nat Than Kwin Bridge over the Sittaung River, as the structure was essential for the military’s logistics in the area.
In the clashes, the junta conducted air strikes using a helicopter gunship and a jet fighter in which some residents were injured, said Bago Yoma PDF, which joined the resistance attacks.
Military column ambushed in Bago
Paungde PDF said it ambushed a military column traveling on the Bago Yoma mountain range in Paungde Township, Bago Region on Monday, killing a regime soldier.
Regime forces responded with both heavy explosives and firearms, but there were no PDF casualties. After the ambush, regime forces burned down three farm huts of local farmers nearby and retrieved the body of the slain soldier, taking it to a village.
Junta suffers heavy losses in Shan State
At least 20 junta soldiers were killed in two days of clashes in Laukkaing Township in the Kokang Self-Administered Zone in northern Shan State on Sunday and Monday when the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) clashed with military detachments attempting to raid the MNDAA’s Brigade 511, an official of the ethnic armed group told The Irrawaddy.
Amid peace talks between the two groups, clashes have been going on in Lashio and Hseni townships in northern Shan since June 2, when the junta launched offensives on the MNDAA’s bases.
Military convoy repeatedly ambushed in Magwe
Combined resistance forces ambush a military convoy transporting rations in Pauk Township on Monday. / Myaing PDF
At least 16 regime forces and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed and many others injured in Pauk Township, Magwe Region on Monday when local resistance groups repeatedly ambushed a military convoy of 100 vehicles including motorbikes from three locations, said Myaing People’s Defense Force, which coordinated the attacks.
The convoy was performing security duty along Pauk-Pakokku highway to protect a militia convoy of trucks transporting rations from Pakokku to Pauk town.
A resistance fighter suffered serious injuries.
Regime forces raided in Tanintharyi
Resistance forces engage in a clash with regime forces in Chaung Nyi Ko Village in Tanintharyi Township on Tuesday. / Peacock Column
At least 10 regime forces were killed in Tanintharyi Township, Tanintharyi Region on Tuesday when local resistance groups including the Kaw Thoo Lei Army (KTLA) raided 30 regime forces stationed at a monastery of Chaung Nyi Ko Village, said Peacock Column, which joined the attack.
Two resistance defenders also suffered injuries.
Military units bombed by PDF drones in Mandalay
Drones drop bombs on regime targets as part of operations in Natogyi and Mahlaing townships on Monday. / Natogyi PDF
Natogyi PDF claimed to have killed eight soldiers in Mandalay Region on Monday as it and Myingyan District Drone Strike Team conducted two drone attacks on military units in Mahlaing and Natogyi townships.
First, the combined PDF groups used a drone to drop a bomb on regime forces stationed in Thayet Kaung Pin Village in Mahlaing Township. Five junta troops were killed as the bomb hit a group of soldiers having lunch, claimed the PDF groups, citing a witness.
In the evening, the PDF groups continued to conduct drone strikes, targeting a military checkpoint on the Natogyi-Mahlaing road in Natogyi Township, in which three more soldiers were killed and many injured.
Military checkpoint, police station attacked in Sagaing
An urban clash broke out in Depayin town, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when three resistance groups jointly raided a military checkpoint and the township police station at the same time, said Freedom Revolution Force, which coordinated the raids.
Resistance fighters witnessed the deaths of four soldiers in the incidents.
Military vehicles bombed in Sagaing
Military vehicles are ambushed using land mines in Monywa Township on Sunday. / One Way Revolution Force
Local resistance group One Way Revolution Force said it and Monywa Commando Force used two clusters of eight land mines to ambush two makeshift armored military vehicles carrying jammers on the Monywa-Chaung U road in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region on Monday.
After being hit by the mines, regime troops in the vehicles randomly opened fire, but there were no PDF casualties. Military casualties in the ambush were unknown.
