At Least Eight Myanmar Regime Forces Killed in Tanintharyi Fighting

By The Irrawaddy 18 January 2023

Eight Myanmar junta forces, including pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia, were killed on Monday in a clash with ethnic Karen-led resistance groups in Palaw Township in southern Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region.

A fierce firefight erupted on Monday afternoon when fighters from the Karen National Defense Organization, one of the armed wings of the Karen National Union, the Palaw People’s Defense Force (PDF) and other local resistance groups raided military regime forces based in Shat Pon Village in Palaw Township.

During the raid, the resistance forces mined military vehicles, as well as shooting dead junta-appointed village administrator Nyein Chan Aung, who was also the leader of Shat Pon’s Pyu Saw Htee militia, said Palaw Regional Defense Forces (PRDF).

A spokesperson for the Myeik District PDF told The Irrawaddy that they had received reports from Shat Pon residents detailing how they were being oppressed by Pyu Saw Htee militia in the village.

PRDF claimed to have killed eight junta forces in the clash. The group submitted photos of dead soldiers and captured weapons, ammunition and military kit as evidence.

There were no resistance casualties, said PRDF. However, two villagers were killed in the fighting after regime forces opened fire at random.

After the clash, a 33-year-old Shat Pon man was reportedly killed after being arrested by regime soldiers while returning from fishing. The man’s throat was cut, reported local media The Tanintharyi Times, citing residents of Shat Pon.

Regime forces also stole a gold chain from the victim, the report added.

Later on Monday night, further fighting broke out in Palaw as the combined resistance forces raided Myanmar military battalion 285, said PRDF.

Casualties from that clash are currently unknown.