Myanmar’s junta has abandoned an off-take station for the Chinese oil and gas pipelines in Mandalay Region after eight simultaneous resistance attacks on Thursday.
Numerous resistance groups attacked the pipeline’s junta guards in Natogyi, Taung Tha, Myingyan and Ngazun townships, according to Mandalay Region sources.
Around 80 junta troops were attacked at an off-take station east of Natogyi town on Thursday morning, killing several soldiers and detaining another, according to a resident. They said one resistance fighter was killed.
Resistance troops retreated when the regime used a Chinese-made Y12 airplane and a fighter jet to defend the positions, according to the source.
The guard post was abandoned when resistance forces returned on Friday.
“Two dead soldiers were left behind at the base,” said the resident, quoting resistance fighters.
On Thursday morning, resistance groups also attacked Wetlu village police station, about 14km north of the Natogyi base.
Pro-regime Telegram channels said the police station was encircled by “terrorists” and called for junta airstrikes, saying all civilians had left the village.
Villagers reported that resistance groups retreated from Wetlu after junta airstrikes on Thursday morning but they attacked again on Friday.
Natogyi People’s Defense Force declined to comment to The Irrawaddy while fighting was ongoing.
Pro-regime Telegram channels reported that resistance attacks on Semekhon and Kyauk Pyoke villages in Myingyan Township had been defeated.
A Telegram post said a regime policeman and three “terrorists” were killed in Semekhon.
The resistance Zero Guerrilla Force that coordinated the Myingyan attack said six of its troops died in a junta airstrike during the fighting.
A pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia base and another junta position in Taung Tha Township were attacked on Thursday, while resistance drone strikes targeted a junta position in Ngazun town.
A junta Y12 dropped around 20 bombs on Thakyin village and four bombs on Ya Bo village in Ngazun Township, killing three residents and cows and injuring five others, resistance groups told the media.
In August last year, resistance groups conducted the Myingyan Special Operation with coordinated attacks on regime positions in Myingyan, Taung Tha and Natogyi townships.
The groups seized two regime positions guarding pipeline off-take stations at the entrances of Taung Tha and Natogyi towns.
