At least eight junta soldiers were killed and 15 wounded when resistance drone units attacked the regime’s Light Infantry Battalion 102 in Myawaddy Township, Karen State on Tuesday, according to Federal Wings.
The drone unit teamed up with Yaung Ni Drone Force to launch the strike as regime troops were taking up position in Blatdoh village, located on the Myawaddy-Worlay road in territory controlled by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)’s Division 6, according to Federal Wings’ statement.
The attack was launched under the command of the Cobra Column resistance force and Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO) Battalion 8. Among those wounded in the strike was junta Battalion Commander Major Zaw Myo Aung, Federal Wings said.
The drone attack came after three Cobra Column fighters were killed when their supplies truck was ambushed by junta troops near Blatoh village on Tuesday.
Five resistance fighters managed to escape the ambush but another five were cornered in a firefight. By the time Cobra Column reinforcements arrived, only two were left alive.
The truck had left Myawaddy carrying food and medicine for resistance forces.
Cobra Column spokesperson Ko Myo Thura Ko Ko named the casualties as Naw Eh Muu, 29, Naw Lu Lu Phaw (aka Thida Aye), 22, and Kyaw Swar Hein, 20, adding their funerals were held on Wednesday.
Junta troops are deploying helicopters, artillery and airstrikes against resistance forces in the area, he said.
Four months of almost daily clashes began when a combined KNLA and Cobra Column force seized a junta military outpost in Thaebawboe village, in the south of Myawaddy Township. Thousands of residents have since fled the area and taken shelter near Thaung Yin River on the border or crossed into Thailand.
