Resistance Mine Attacks on Myanmar Junta Convoys Kill Almost 40 Soldiers

By The Irrawaddy 28 June 2022

Almost 40 Myanmar junta troops were reportedly killed on Monday when People’s Defense Forces (PDF) staged multiple ambushes on regime convoys in three townships in Sagaing and Mandalay regions. 

Around 30 regime troops were reportedly killed on Monday morning when Tamu-PDF used mines to attack junta soldiers escorting a convoy of eight vehicles traveling between Yan Linn Phine and Wi Toke villages on the Tamu-Kale highway in Sagaing Region’s Tamu Township. The convoy was returning from Tamu to Kale Township. 

Tamu-PDF battalion 3’s spokesperson told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that three vehicles were damaged in the ambush and that regime forces opened fire randomly after the attack as they stopped briefly in Wi Toke Village.

On June 23, the same convoy but with more than 12 vehicles was also attacked with mines by Tamu PDFs near Yan Linn Phine Village on the Tamu-Kale highway while it was heading to Tamu. 

Following the ambush, regime troops killed three villagers detained in nearby villages.

Also on Monday morning, a junta convoy of three military vehicles escorting a civilian vehicle believed to have been carrying a senior regime official, was repeatedly ambushed with mines on the Sagaing-Monwya highway in Sagaing’s Myinmu Township, said local PDFs. 

PDFs used six mines to ambush the convoy at 9.45am as it traveled between Myinmu Town and Wan Pyae Village, said Myinmu Civil Revolution Force (MCRF), one of the PDFs that took part in the ambush.

Just minutes later, at 9.53am, the convoy was ambushed again with six mines as it moved along the Sagaing-Monywa highway. The convoy was travelling from Sagaing to the northwestern military command headquarters in Monywa, according to local PDFs. 

At least six junta personnel, including officials, were injured in the attacks, while at least three vehicles were damaged by the blasts, said MCRF. However, The Irrawaddy was unable to confirm the military casualties independently. 

Later on Monday, at 5:45pm, the convoy was ambushed with mines for a third time as it traveled between Myinmu Town and Htee Saung Village on the return trip from Monywa to Sagaing, according to Knight Commander (KC), the resistance force that staged the attack. 

A PDF video shows the convoy moving at high speed after the mines went off, while the sound of gunfire can also be heard. 

Ko Bal Than Gyi, the leader of KC, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that they managed to ambush the convoy as it traveled the Sagaing-Monywa highway.

Two vehicles, including the one believed to be carrying a senior junta official, were damaged in the attack, said KC.

There were three military casualties from the attack and the convoy went directly to the hospital in Sagaing following the ambush.

“We will never give up our revolution. We will continue our missions against regime forces until we gain victory,” said Ko Bal Than Gyi. 

Zero Guerilla Force claimed to have killed three military regime troops and injured nine others on Monday when a drone dropped a bomb on junta forces inspecting vehicles and civilians at the entrance to Myinmu Town. 

Video shows the military checkpoint being targeted with a bomb dropped by the PDF’s drone. 

Another attack on Monday morning saw an eight-vehicle junta convoy ambushed with mines on the Pyin Oo Lwin-Mandalay highway in Mandalay Region. Dragon Rangers Mandalay, an urban guerilla group, claimed responsibility for the attack and said three soldiers died and three vehicles were damaged.

Junta forces continue to face daily attacks nationwide from PDFs and ethnic armed organizations.

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