More than 40 Myanmar junta forces were killed during clashes and ambushes in the last four days as People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) conducted a series of attacks targeting regime forces and their informants in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe, Bago and Yangon regions and Kachin, Karen and Rakhine states.
The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks by PDFs and EAOs.
Junta outpost seized by Arakan Army in Rakhine State
The Arakan Army (AA) claimed to have occupied a junta outpost on the Bangladesh border in Maungdaw Township, northern Rakhine State on Monday.
The AA seized the junta outpost, which is a base of regime soldiers and police, after an hour of fighting despite artillery support for the regime forces from nearby military bases.
The junta outpost is among a number that conducted daily unprovoked shelling of villages in the township.
During the raid, some junta forces and a resistance fighter of the AA were killed and three junta forces were detained with weapons and ammunition, said the AA.
Northwestern Regional Military Command attacked in Sagaing
The Northwestern Regional Military Command based in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region was bombarded by the combined forces of five PDF groups on Sunday morning, said Chindwin Attack Force, which was involved in the attack.
The PDF groups said they used 15 improvised mortar shells including 60mm to 120mm explosives in the attack. There were military casualties, said the resistance groups, citing their informants in the military.
On that night, the regime forces also bombarded a new prison that is under construction in Thasi Village in the township, using 18 improvised mortar shells.
Casualties are unknown.
Regime forces attacked in Sagaing
The PDF group Chindwin Attack Force said it and another nine local resistance groups bombarded and raided regime forces deployed at the township police station and hospital, and the office of the junta proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday night.
The PDF group said they were unable to completely raid the regime bases due to the limitations of their weaponry.
Two soldiers killed in urban attack in Sagaing
Two regime soldiers were reportedly killed and others were injured on Sunday afternoon when resistance fighters of Myanmar’s Royal Dragon Army (MRDA) threw two grenades at regime forces guarding the junta-controlled Myanma Economic Bank in Monywa Town in Sagaing Region. In a PDF video, sounds of gunfire are heard from a busy road in the town following a blast.
Residents are requested by the PDF group to stay away from the regime forces due to potential attacks.
Military flotilla ambushed in Sagaing
PDF fighters from three battalions of the Chindwin Attack Force and another resistance group, Mahauurar Dragon, ambushed a military flotilla of 13 motorboats from six locations in Kani Township, Sagaing Region last Friday, according to the resistance forces.
The flotilla including barges was traveling to upper Sagaing Region from Monywa along the Chindwin River.
A video shows fierce fighting between the PDF groups and the military motorboats.
Seven regime forces killed in PDF ambush on the flotilla in Sagaing
Seven regime forces including an army officer were reportedly killed last Thursday when six local resistance groups ambushed a military flotilla in Kani Township, Sagaing Region while it was traveling north on the Chindwin River, the resistance group Burman Independence Organization- Sagaing, which was involved in the ambush, said on Monday.
The PDF’s video shows resistance fighters firing improvised mortar shells and rockets during the ambush. The PDF group said one 60mm mortar shell hit a military motorboat directly.
All PDF fighters escaped from the area without casualties.
Regime forces bombarded in Sagaing
A local resistance force, Chindwin Tiger PDF, claimed to have attacked regime forces stationed at Bantbwe Village in Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday night using improvised mortar shells, according to the PDF group.
However, military casualties are unknown. Regime forces responded with mortar shells.
Seven junta forces killed by PDF landmines in Sagaing
Local PDF group Burma Rangers (Shwebo) claimed on Monday that seven junta soldiers were killed and 20 others injured when it used 16 land mines to ambush a truck in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region last Friday.
It conducted the ambush after being tipped off by sources in the military that the vehicle was secretly transporting regime forces in the area.
After the attack, two civilians were injured when regime forces from the vehicle randomly opened fires along the road, the PDF group said.
Traffic police outpost bombed in Yangon
The underground resistance group Freeland Attack Force said it and two other PDF groups jointly bombed a traffic police outpost near Saungchaung Township’s court in Yangon on Monday night using a remote-controlled bomb. The outpost was damaged.
However, they failed to attack regime forces who arrived in the area to inspect the explosions as their additional bombs malfunctioned. After being seized, a bomb was detonated by the regime forces, the PDF group said.
The PDF groups appealed to the public to avoid regime forces and their bases.
Junta police station chief assassinated in Mandalay
Wundwin Township Revolution Force (WTRF) claimed to have killed junta police officer Saw Naing Oo, who was the chief of Wundwin Police Station, in Mandalay Region on Sunday night.
He was shot dead in front of a ward administration office in the town while he was driving in a vehicle, the PDF group said.
Junta informant assassinated in Mandalay
The urban resistance group General Z Power-Mandalay claimed that it and another underground group managed to kill junta informant Ko Aung San in Chanmyathazi Township, Mandalay Region on Monday morning.
The PDF group said the assassination was in response to the killing of peaceful anti-regime protester Ma Thu Thu Zin, 25, in the city last year.
The anti-regime protester was reportedly fatally shot in the head by the junta informant Aung San during a surprise junta raid on the anti-regime demonstration, according to media based in Mandalay.
Eight junta soldiers killed in Magwe
Eight regime forces were reportedly killed on Sunday night when 20 local resistance forces jointly attacked junta forces and Pyu Saw Htee pro-regime militia members who are stationed at Watpoke Village in Myaing Township, Magwe Region, said Myaing-PDF.
The combined group also used several improvised mortar shells to attack the regime forces. In the fighting, a resistance fighter suffered minor injuries, according to the PDF groups.
Two PDF fighters killed in Magwe
Two resistance fighters including the deputy chief of Yaw Defense Force-YDF were killed in Gangaw Township, Magwe Region on Sunday afternoon as they were ambushed by regime police near Kyunkhonethar Village in the township, according to the PDF group.
In the shootout, YDF deputy chief Ko Phyo, 21, and a comrade were killed and another PDF fighter, Naing Thein, was injured.
Also, a junta police officer was killed and another injured in the shootout.
Junta police officer killed in Bago
Inntakaw-PDF claimed to have killed Police Sergeant Tin Naing Oo near the Hanthawaddy golf club in Inntakaw town, Bago Region on Sunday.
The assassination was a part of Operation Nann Htike Aung, the group said. The police sergeant was reportedly making money from the lottery and football gambling business and bootleg liquor stores, the PDF group said.
Eight junta soldiers killed in PDF raids in Bago
Four regime soldiers were reportedly killed and many others injured when Bago-PDF forces raided 17 regime forces of a military checkpoint at the 83 Mile point of the Yangon-Mandalay highway in Kyauktaga Township, Bago Region on Sunday night.
At 10:30 a.m. on that morning, four regime forces were killed and seven others injured when Thayarwaddy District-PDF triggered mines to attack 23 regime forces trying to raid a village in Natalin Township, Bago Region.
The combined PDF groups of Nyaunglebin and Shwekyin townships also ambushed military vehicles transporting food and reinforcements to a monastery in the village in Nyaunglebin Township on Sunday early morning. However, military casualties are unknown.
Three junta soldiers killed by PDF snipers in Karen State
Cobra Column of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) claimed resistance snipers managed to kill three regime soldiers during their ambush of regime forces of Light Infantry Battalion 104 stationed on a hilltop near Taung Ni Village in Myawaddy Township, Karen State on Saturday.
Near daily clashes have been reported in the area for weeks as regime forces have been attempting to control the area.
Junta police officer assassinated in Kachin
Junta police officer Thein Naing Oo was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the jade town of Hpakant, Kachin State on Sunday morning while he was leaving a massage parlor.
