Myanmar’s junta lost one more town and several military bases as well as a number of troops in the last three days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) stepped up attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one case, two PDF fighters were killed in a clash in Sagaing Region.
Incidents were reported in Rakhine and Kachin states and Bago and Sagaing regions.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs.
Some military casualties could not be independently verified.
Ethnic rebel army seizes one more town in Rakhine State
The ethnic Arakan Army claimed to have taken complete control of the remaining headquarters of the junta’s Light Infantry Battalions 536, 537 and 538 outside the town of Rathedaung in Rakhine State on Sunday afternoon after two weeks of intense clashes.
In its failed attempt to defend the strongholds, the junta conducted heavy bombardments from air, land and sea.
During the seizure of the bases, 200 soldiers fled on military vessels.
Seven more junta bases seized in a single day in Kachin State
The ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied resistance groups seized seven more junta frontline bases in Momauk Township, Kachin State after nine hours of simultaneous attacks on Sunday, according to local media reports.
Since March 7, the KIA has been conducting an offensive against regime targets in Bhamo, Momauk, Waingmaw and Myitkyina, seizing around 30 positions including strategic bases near Laiza town on the border with China, where the KIA’s HQ is based.
Junta sentries killed in resistance attacks in Bago
Two regime forces were killed in Yedashe Township, Bago Region on Saturday evening when the Red Scarf Column attacked regime forces secretly taking up position in a cemetery near Doe Tan Village in the west bank of the Sittaung River, the resistance group said.
On that night, the Red Scarf Column and other resistance groups also used 40-mm explosives and firearms to attack 20 regime forces stationed at a ferry crossing on the Sittaung River in the east of Swar town in Yedashe Township.
Two more junta soldiers were killed and some were injured, the resistance groups said.
Regime forces killed in clashes in Sagaing
At least six regime forces were killed and five injured in Kale Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday when several resistance groups attacked regime forces stationed in the villages of Aung Myin Thar and Kyaung Tike, the office of PDF Military Region 1 said.
The PDF groups managed to defeat the regime forces in Kyaung Tike Village, forcing all junta soldiers and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia to flee to other villages.
During the clash, the junta used an Mi-35 helicopter gunship to attack resistance groups in Kyaung Tike Village, killing two PDF fighters. During the raids, the PDF groups seized 17 weapons and ammunition from the regime forces.
On the same day, resistance groups also ambushed a military unit of 130 troops heading to Kan Tharyar Village in Kale Township, sparking an intense clash. Regime forces also responded with drone strikes.
The regime forces left the bodies of an army captain and a lance corporal at the clash site. The PDF forces seized two weapons and ammunition from the killed soldiers.
Junta’s General Administration Office bombarded in Sagaing
Ye-U PDF, which forms Shwebo District PDF Battalion 14 of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), used two makeshift drones to drop four bombs on regime forces stationed at the township General Administration Department office in the town of Ye-U in Sagaing Region on Sunday.
Some regime forces are believed to have been injured in the attacks. After being bombarded, the junta troops randomly responded with firearms.
