Myanmar’s military regime is raiding and firebombing villages along the Kale-Gangaw road in a bid to control the key route linking Sagaing and Magwe regions.
Local People’s Defense Force (PDFs) retaliated on Tuesday by ambushing around 200 junta troops on the road near Thazi village, some three miles from Kale town. The troops were reportedly heading from Kale town to the south of Kale Township. Junta forces responded with air attacks after suffering heavy casualties in the ambush, said locals.
A Kale resident told The Irrawaddy: “Junta troops based in Kale town also fired shells at Thazi village while a junta helicopter strafed the area around Thazi village for nearly an hour. The fighting is continuing near the village today.”
Locals said houses in Thazi village also burned fiercely after being hit, indicating the use of incendiary shells.
“Villagers who fled Thazi said around six shells hit their village,” a member of local civil society organization said:
“Around 30 adults and children suffered dizziness and vomiting while some passed out after inhaling smoke from shells. Although it was raining, houses burned intensely after being hit. In normal circumstances, houses should not have burnt like that. Locals said the houses went up in flames as if they were torched with petrol.”
A 50-year-old man from Thazi village was killed in the artillery barrage, which also sent residents of Thazi and surrounding villages fleeing into the forest.
The strategic Kale-Gangaw road not only links Sagaing and Magwe regions but also leads to Chin State. The regime is trying to gain control over the road in southern Kale, said a member of People’s Authority in Kale Township.
“They haven’t attacked southern Kale for nearly a year. But the regime is making large-scale attacks now, so they might be trying to establish a base on the Kale-Gangaw road to gain control over southern Kale,” he told The Irrawaddy.
The Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin resistance groups have allied to fight the regime in Chin State, which neighbors Kale Township. Chin resistance groups occupied a junta outpost outside Thantlang town on August 14, capturing two junta soldiers and seizing six weapons, according to Chin National Front spokesman Salai Htet Ni.
CNA troops also attacked Infantry Battalion 268 in Falam on August 12, inflicting casualties on junta soldiers and seizing their weapons, said Salai Htet Ni.
The regime’s military operations in Karenni (Kayah), Sagaing and Chin states follow the regime’s extension of emergency rule for another six months on July 21, when junta chief Min Aung Hlaing vowed to take necessary action to regain control of areas it has lost to resistance forces, said Salai Htet Ni.
