About 100 junta soldiers were killed during fighting in a single day in Sagaing, Magwe and Tanintharyi regions on Sunday.
The Defense Ministry of Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) stated in a recent briefing that 37 attacks against junta targets were carried out on Sunday by local People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) formed by civilian resistance fighters. During the attacks, the military suffered heavy losses with a total of 96 of its troops dead, the ministry stated.
Those included firefights with junta troops, bombings of military convoys, and raids on security outposts and military-owned businesses.
Myanmar’s junta is facing increasing attacks from armed resistance volunteers and ethnic armed groups across the country after the NUG’s declaration of the start of a people’s defensive war on the regime on Sept. 7.
Since then, junta forces have also escalated inspections, arrests, raids and violence, including burning down and bombarding residential areas, especially in the resistance strongholds of Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin and Kayah states.
According to the ministry’s briefing, the junta suffered its heaviest losses over the weekend in Pale Township, Sagaing Region, where twin attacks on a military convoy in the township left 61 soldiers dead.
The Pale PDF also attacked a military convoy of more than 80 vehicles carrying reinforcements to the township on Monday morning. Five of the 80 vehicles were damaged and several soldiers were killed during the attack, in which 27 landmines were triggered, according to the group’s announcement.
And in Sagaing’s Kale Township, PDF-Kale also attacked a military convoy with two landmines on Sunday morning. During the attacks, one soldier was killed and at least three were injured according to the PDF-Kale.
At around 11 a.m., a combined force of the group and the Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) ambushed a group of military vehicles. During the shootout, 10 junta soldiers were killed. On the civilian force side, one was injured, the PDF-Kale stated in its announcement.
In Gangaw of Magwe Region, nine soldiers were killed as local civilian resistance fighters ambushed troops returning from setting fire to internally displaced persons camps, the NUG said.
An attack also occurred in Putao, Kachin State, in which the local PDF attacked a security gate as a warning amid reports of a possible trip to the township by coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Attacks were also reported in places including Monywa, Sagaing Region; Mawgyun, Ayeyarwady Region; Wetlet, Sagaing; Yesagyo, Magwe Region; Thongwa, Yangon Region; and Thayatchaung, Tanintharyi Region.
Since the Feb. 1 coup, the junta has killed more than 1,154 people during crackdowns, arrests, interrogations, raids and random shootings, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reported on Monday.
Over 8,700 people, including elected leaders, protesters, striking civil servants and student activists have been detained by the junta or face arrest warrants.
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