The Myanmar junta lost more troops including a lieutenant colonel as well as bases including strategic strongholds in the last four days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) escalated their attacks on regime targets across the country.
Incidents were reported in Rakhine and Kachin states and Sagaing and Mandalay regions.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs.
Some military casualties could not be independently verified.
Fleeing junta colonel killed in resistance attack in Rakhine State
The ethnic Arakan Army (AA) said that junta lieutenant colonel Ye Htut Win and other regime forces were killed last Friday as it chased and attacked fleeing troops from the regime’s 9th Central Military Training School in Minbya Township, Rakhine State.
The AA seized the school in late February after 10 days of intense fighting and the remaining regime forces in the township fled in disarray.
AA troops also rescued 20 villagers who had been taken hostage by the killed lieutenant colonel and his forces.
On Saturday, the junta bombarded the towns of Rathedaung and Ramree from air, sea and land, the AA said.
Strategic junta base seized after 13-day offensive in Kachin
The ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied resistance groups managed to seize a junta strategic hilltop base near Tar Ma Khan Village in Hpakant Township, Kachin State after 13 days of attacks on Saturday, according to local residents.
In its failed attempt to defend the base, the junta conducted heavy shelling and airstrikes.
The junta base was mainly tasked with securing the approach to jade-mining hub Hpakant.
On Saturday, the remaining regime forces left the base, leaving behind their weapons, after negotiating their withdrawal with KIA officials, a local source who is close to the KIA told The Irrawaddy.
The KIA has escalated its attacks on military bases across Kachin State since last week, seizing over a dozen junta bases.
Junta military units bombed by drones in Mandalay
Eight junta soldiers were killed in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region last Friday when the resistance drone group Myingyan District Drone Strike Team and other PDF groups dropped four bombs on a military unit stationed at the monastery in Ywar Gyi Village, the PDF groups said.
On the same day, the resistance drone unit and five other PDF groups conducted drone strikes on a military unit of 100 troops raiding Zambu Thiri Village in Mandalay Region’s Taungtha Township, killing four more soldiers and injuring many others.
Military truck ambushed on Yangon-Mandalay Expressway
Military vehicles are targeted with explosions on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region last Friday. / Natogyi PDF
Natogyi PDF said it triggered eight land mines to ambush a military vehicle at the 320-Mile (515-km) point on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region last Friday.
The vehicle was carrying soldiers from Military Division 88 based in Magwe Township, Magwe Region. Military casualties were unknown.
Junta outpost at entrance to Sagaing’s Ye-U town bombed
Ye-U PDF said it used drones to drop three bombs on the Shwe Kyi Minn military checkpoint at the entrance to Ye-U Town in Sagaing Region on Saturday morning.
After being bombed, the regime forces responded by indiscriminately opening fire. On that evening, the PDF groups again attacked the checkpoint with two makeshift rocket bombs.
Military casualties were unknown.
Junta police officers killed in daring resistance attacks in Sagaing
PDF group Taw Twin Tup Pee said it and another resistance group jointly attacked police officers from Ywar Thit Gyi police outpost who were patrolling in a vehicle in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday.
The police officers were notorious for extorting money from civilian vehicles traveling on the road between Sagaing town and Ohn Taw Village.
During the attack, all four police members were killed and the PDF forces seized weapons and ammunition along with the vehicle.
