An estimated 90 Myanmar regime soldiers and four resistance fighters were reportedly killed in fighting with people’s defense forces (PDFs) in Sagaing and Magwe regions over five days.
On Thursday morning, four PDFs used six mines to ambush two military vehicles armed with machine guns near a village in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region, according to the People’s Guerillas Commando (PGC) in Myinmu that coordinated the ambushes.
The vehicles were traveling to Monywa from Division 33 in Sagaing town on the Sagaing-Monywa highway.
The PDFs said many regime troops were flung from the vehicles by the blasts. The military casualties are unknown. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.
Another force of four resistance groups, including the PGC, used mines against another military convoy of seven vehicles, including two trucks, on the same highway on Thursday morning.
The PGC said the convoy was attacked three times using mines.
An estimated 20 soldiers were killed and two vehicles were damaged, the group claimed. It said a vehicle was abandoned.
No resistance injuries were reported, the groups claimed.
Seven regime troops were killed in a PDF ambush on the Monywa-Ayardaw highway in Monywa Township on Wednesday morning, resistance groups claimed.
Thapyaynyo Guerilla Force claimed to have killed three foot soldiers on the highway who were trying to clear PDF mines in Monywa Township on Wednesday morning.
Four soldiers were killed and six wounded when seven PDFs used mines against around 20 regime troops clearing mines on the highway in Ayadaw Township on Wednesday morning, according to the Danger Force, which took part in the attack.
On Tuesday night, eight groups raided junta forces and pro-regime Pyu Saw Htwe militias stationed at Inkokkar village in Taze Township, Sagaing Region, said Guerrilla Warfare, which took part in the raid.
The resistance said a vehicle of reinforcements triggered a mine at the entrance of Taze town on Tuesday night.
A total of 17 regime soldiers and militia members were killed, said the PDFs.
An estimated 35 regime soldiers, including an army captain, and two resistance fighters were killed in attacks by 11 groups on around 100 soldiers burning villages in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, from Sunday to Tuesday.
A resistance video purportedly shows heavy fighting for a village in the township.
Regime troops retreated to Shwebo town after torching nearly 300 houses in five villages since Saturday. A Yaykyiwa villager was reportedly burned alive.
Ko Daung Hman, a representative of the Daung Hman resistance group that joined the attacks, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that regime troops burned the bodies of soldiers killed in PDF attacks.
He said two comrades were killed in fighting on Tuesday after troops were resupplied with ammunition by a junta helicopter.
“We will fight and give our lives to end junta rule and to protect our people. Please supply us as we cannot afford weapons and ammunition,” said Ko Daung Hman.
On Monday, a PDF mine attack sparked a shootout after regime forces burned down seven houses in Maung Htaung village in Budalin Township, Sagaing Region.
Two resistance fighters were reportedly killed amid many military casualties, according to the Special Regional Attacks Force of Monywa that said it took part in the attack.
Magwe shelling
Thirteen regime soldiers were reportedly killed and many others injured when 17 resistance groups bombarded soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee militia members stationed at Kan Ni village in Myaing Township, Magwe Region, on Wednesday morning.
The Kyar Thit Nat resistance group said more than 500 improvised mortar shells were used in the two-hour attack.
Resistance videos show mortars being deployed and used. The groups claimed 13 regime soldiers were confirmed killed.
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