Almost 20 Myanmar junta personnel have reportedly been killed by People’s Defense Forces (PDF) nationwide in retaliation for the military regime’s execution of four anti-coup activists.
The junta executed former National League for Democracy lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thura Zaw at Yangon’s Insein Prison over the weekend, after accusing them of masterminding armed resistance against the regime and being involved in anti-junta activities.
In the last three days, several PDF groups conducted a series of revenge attacks targeting regime forces and their informants in Yangon, Mandalay and Magwe regions and Chin, Kayah and Mon States.
On Wednesday night, resistance group Daung Sit The claimed to have bombed two police stations in Yangon’s Thaketa Township in an operation named ‘Zeya Thaw’ after one of the executed activists.
A local resident told The Irrawaddy that there was a loud blast followed by a lot of gunfire.
Daung Sit The said that their fighters managed to escape. However, regime casualties are still unknown.
Chin Defense Force-Kanpetlet claimed to have killed four junta soldiers and police in a raid on regime forces stationed at the government offices in Kanpetlet Town, Chin State on Wednesday. There were no resistance casualties, according to the group.
Mon State Revolutionary Organization said it killed a regime soldier in an attack on a checkpoint in Ye Township, Mon State on early Wednesday morning in retaliation for the executions,
Also early on Wednesday, three regime soldiers were killed and many others injured when Yesagyo Revolution Group used a motorbike to bomb a military checkpoint near the Technological University in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region.
The PDF said that they set a bomb in the motorbike’s toolbox, before placing it near the junta checkpoint in front of the university. The bomb went off after a regime soldier seized the motorbike and opened the toolbox.
Yesagyo Revolution Group claimed the attack was in response to the junta’s execution of the four democracy activists.
Elsewhere in Magwe Region, a combined force of eight PDFs launched an operation named ‘Zeya Thaw’ early on Tuesday, raiding Tatkone Village in Pauk Township, where Myanmar military units and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia are based.
During the raid, seven regime soldiers were killed and many others injured, said Young Revolution Front, who coordinated the attack and submitted photos of a weapon, grenade and ammunition seized in the raid.
Taungoo District PDF claimed to have killed former soldier U Aung Zaw Oo, a military informant, on Tuesday in Taungoo in Bago Region. The PDF claimed that the victim was also a leader of a local Pyu Saw Htee group.
It said the assassination was in retaliation for the execution of the four democracy activists.
Demoso PDF claimed to have killed three regime troops on Monday, when a combined force of resistance groups attacked soldiers deployed at Daw Ngan Khar Village in Demoso Township, Kayah State. Two PDF fighters were injured in the raid, said Demoso PDF.
On Monday night, PDF fighters attacked one of the entry gates of Insein Prison in retaliation for the hanging of the four political prisoners, said Yangon Ghost Ranger Force, the resistance group that conducted the attack.
In Mandalay Region, a combined PDF group ambushed regime forces on Monday night with a mine in Amarapura Township. Military casualties are unknown.
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