17 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in PDF Raid on Magwe Training Camp
By The Irrawaddy 3 October 2022
Seventeen junta troops were reportedly killed and over 50 pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia personnel detained when a combined resistance force raided a military training camp in Pauk Township, Magwe Region on Sunday.
People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups from Pauk and Myaing townships raided Zee Pyar Village in Pauk, where nearly 100 militia troops were being trained by junta police and soldiers.
The raid came after several reports that villagers opposing the junta had been killed or evicted, said Myaing-PDF, which coordinated the raid on Monday.
During seven hours of fighting, 53 Pyu Saw Htee militia members were captured by the PDF groups.
At least 17 regime soldiers, police and militia members were killed in the raid, Myaing-PDF said. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the deaths.
PDF video footage shows resistance members trying to take a road in the village amid fierce fighting.
The PDF said it was forced to retreat from the village without occupying the junta police station after firing 17,000 rounds during the clash and running short of ammunition.
The detained militia have been guaranteed protection by resistance forces if they pledge to abandon their allegiance to the junta, a Myaing-PDF official told the media.
On Sept. 27, the Myaing and Pauk PDFs conducted 17 drone strikes on regime forces who were torching houses in Thayatkan Village in Pauk Township. No casualties were reported.
As well as daily attacks and ambushes by PDFs and ethnic armed organizations, Myanmar junta forces are facing increasing raids on their military bases and outposts across the country.
