Myanmar’s junta has attacked northern Sagaing Township, clashing with resistance groups and displacing thousands of residents.
Fighting broke out near Kyaw Zeya village on Friday morning, blocking the Mandalay-Shwebo road at Sar Taung town and Yonepin Kan village.
The military has been reinforcing northern Sagaing Township, adjacent to resistance-held Wetlet Township. On Tuesday, the regime also attacked the area with artillery from Yonepin Kan village near Ohn Taw.
A resistance source told The Irrawaddy on Friday: “There are two groups of troops separately raiding villages along the Sagaing–Shwebo road. Resistance groups used long-range artillery and drone bombs. There is now direct combat, especially near Kyaw Zeya.”
The regime has blocked the road at Yonepin Kan, while resistance forces sealed it off at Sar Taung, stranding hundreds of vehicles.
Tank Battalion 6005 in Ohn Taw is providing artillery support for the offensive.
A volunteer assisting displaced people said: “They (regime troops) are trying to regain control of the main road and inter-district 3 highway. Troops from Ohn Taw raided at night and many villagers fled through rain and floodwater. Some had already been displaced from elsewhere. We are mainly helping civilians to escape.”
Civilians have left around 30 villages so far this week.
A Wetlet People’s Defense Force member said: “There is only the Ohn Taw military battalion and Sar Taung police station on the Sagaing–Shwebo road. The junta lost control of the road for a long time. They’re now trying to regain lost territory for the planned election. That’s why they are pushing forward with a large number of troops along the road.”
District-level Sagaing town is a gateway to the region, hosting the Light Infantry Division 33 headquarters, Artillery Battalion 369, Armored Operations Command 72 (AOC 72), Tank Battalion 6005, Police Battalion 16 and a police training school. It is also near the Central Military Command and Tada-U Air Force Base.
Captain Zin Yaw, a former military officer who defected to the Civil Disobedience Movement, said: “None Twin village has the AOC 72 armored base and artillery units. That’s why there’s frequent shelling from there. The terrain is open and flat so they plan to use armored vehicles and tanks for ground operations.”
Sagaing Township has 177 villages and a strong pro-military Pyu Saw Htee militia presence, with four villages where artillery units are stationed. Resistance forces say this has made their operations difficult.
