Nearly 20 Myanmar Regime Troops Killed in Three Days of Resistance Attacks
By The Irrawaddy 21 October 2022
Nearly 20 Myanmar junta troops were reportedly killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) continued their attacks on regime targets across the country.
Meanwhile, indiscriminate attacks by regime forces including air strikes resulted in civilian casualties including a pregnant woman, and the destruction of civilian properties.
Incidents were reported in Chin, Kayah, Mon and Karen states and Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions.
The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks by PDFs and EAOs, as well as the latest junta atrocities.
Three junta soldiers killed in ambush on helicopter in Kayah
Three regime forces were killed and six others injured in Shadaw Township, Kayah State on Wednesday afternoon when the Karenni Army (KA) and its ally the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) ambushed a junta helicopter transporting ammunition and food for the military’s Infantry Battalion 428 and a junta outpost in the township, the KA claimed.
The ethnic army said it attacked the helicopter from close range but didn’t provide details of damage to the chopper.
A 15-year-old child and another 50-year-old resident were seriously injured by junta explosives in the shootout.
Two regime forces killed by PDF drone strikes in Karen
Two junta soldiers were confirmed killed in Myawaddy Township, Karen State on Wednesday night when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)’s Cobra Column and the allied Federal Wings Drone force used drones to bomb soldiers of the Myanmar military’s Infantry Battalion 207, which was attempting to occupy the Luukhoe area, according to Cobra Column.
Four regime forces reportedly killed in Chin
Four regime forces are believed to have been killed and many others injured in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State early Thursday morning when a fierce clash broke out between regime forces and PDF sentries from Chin Defense Force-Kanpetlet, the resistance group said.
After sustaining heavy casualties, the regime forces intentionally bombarded the town of Kanpetlet and villages nearby.
The resistance group has urged residents to dig bomb shelters due to the regime’s indiscriminate attacks.
Three junta soldiers killed by land mines in Mandalay
Three regime troops were killed and 14 others injured in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region on Thursday morning when three combined PDF groups used land mines to ambush a military detachment of 70 troops in the east of the township, claimed Natsoe PDF, which was involved in the ambush.
Following the ambush, regime forces burned down houses in nearby Kyaukse Lay Village.
Three regime forces killed by PDF drone strikes in Mandalay
Regime forces being bombed by a drone in Natogyi Township on Wednesday. / Natogyi-PDF
Natogyi-PDF claimed on Thursday that three junta soldiers were killed when it conducted drone strikes on a military checkpoint and regime bases on the Natogyi-Taungtha road near Shwe Kyar Inn Village in the township.
PDF video shows a drone dropping bombs on regime targets.
Pregnant woman among three civilians killed in junta air strikes in Sagaing
At least three civilians including a woman who was six months pregnant were killed in Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday morning when two Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships attacked villages on the border of Yinmabin and Pale Townships while being rounded up by regime soldiers dropped off by two other choppers, said Myauk Yatmar PDF, a local resistance group.
In the air raid, 200 residents were arrested by regime forces. After releasing some villager detainees, the regime forces continued to detain many others to use as human shields in order to deter attacks by local resistance forces, the PDF group said.
Civilian houses destroyed by junta air strikes in Sagaing
Several houses were destroyed and burned down after being bombed by junta fighter jets following an intense clash between junta foot soldiers and combined Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and PDF forces near Awang Gone Village in Indaw Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday night, said Indaw Revolution (IR), the media wing of local PDF groups.
The clash broke out when the combined resistance group attacked 60 regime forces approaching the village in preparation to mount a raid. Junta jet fighters also continued to bombard three villages nearby.
In the air strike, a woman resident suffered minor injuries.
On Wednesday, a junta police officer was killed in the township when local resistance forces raided a military checkpoint in the township.
Military vehicles ambushed with land mines in Sagaing
The People’s Army to Fight Dictatorship claimed that it and two other PDF groups jointly ambushed three military vehicles in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region on Thursday night using a cluster of five land mines.
Before the ambush, the convoy from Military Division 33 was randomly opening fire while traveling from Sagaing to Monywa. Military casualties were unknown.
Regime forces ambushed in Sagaing
Many regime forces are believed to have been killed or injured on Tuesday when People Revolution Front (Wetlet) and other PDF groups ambushed regime forces torching farm huts outside Sakhantha Village in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, the PDF groups said on Wednesday.
PDF fighters retreated from the clash without any casualties.
Police station and military checkpoint bombed in Sagaing
Six PDF groups jointly bombed a military checkpoint and police station in the town of Depayin in Sagaing Region on Wednesday, said Snake Eyes-PDF, which was involved in the attack.
The PDF fighters abandoned their attempt to attack regime forces chasing them in a civilian vehicle, to avoid harming the civilians. Military casualties in the bombing attacks were unknown.
Four regime soldiers killed in ambush, shootout in Mon State
Two junta soldiers were killed and another injured in Kyaikto Township, Mon State on Wednesday morning when a vehicle in a military convoy was hit in a mine ambush by local resistance forces on the Yangon-Mawlamyaing highway, said Kyaikhto Revolution and Information Network, the media wing of local PDF groups.
On that same morning, two soldiers were killed in the township when PDF groups attacked a military detachment outside Painnwegone Village. After the ambush, regime forces torched eight houses and three motorbikes in the village.
Two male villagers are missing after being detained by the detachment.
Regime forces attacked by PDF drones in Magwe
The PDF group Anonymous Special Task Force-Pauk said on Thursday that it attacked regime forces from a military detachment in Pauk Township, Magwe Region on Wednesday using two drones.
Starting on Oct. 12, the detachment burned houses and school buildings in two villages during a series of raids on eight villages and beheaded a teacher of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).
In response to the atrocities, the PDF group said it bombed regime forces taking a rest at a pagoda compound as well as on a military base using M9 bombs and improvised bombs.
Military casualties were unknown. PDF videos show regime forces and a junta outpost being targeted by a drone dropping several bombs.
Regime forces raided in Bago
Some regime soldiers are believed to have been killed in Nyaunglaypin Township, Bago Region on Thursday night when PDF fighters of Kyaukgyi Urban Guerrilla unit raided junta forces stationed at the house of junta-appointed administrator U Tin Maung Than in Kaukkawe Village, said Bago Region-PDF.
In the shootout, PDF groups managed to hit targets using 40-mm explosives. The group said the raid was a part of Operation Nann Htike Aung aimed at regime targets.
On that afternoon, the PDF group assassinated U Nay Win, the junta-appointed administrator of Jaungta Village in the township.
Police outpost raided by PDF in Bago
Resistance fighters of Tharyarwaddy PDF Battalion 3802 raided the junta police outpost in Wine Village in Oakpho Township, Bago Region at 2 a.m. Thursday, Bago Region-PDF group said.
Some regime police officers were killed and injured during the shootout, but the exact numbers were unknown.
