Nearly 30 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Two Days of Resistance Attacks

By The Irrawaddy 7 December 2022

At least 29 Myanmar junta troops and three resistance fighters were killed in the last two days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and an ethnic armed organization escalated their attacks on regime forces across the country.

In one case, a junta outpost was seized by a Karen rebel group in Karen State. Also, three junta troops surrendered to an ethnic Chin resistance group.

Incidents were reported in Karen and Chin states and Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay Regions.

Some military casualties could not be independently verified.

Junta outpost seized by Karen rebel group

Thirteen regime soldiers and two ethnic Karen resistance fighters were killed in Papun District, Karen State on Tuesday morning when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) raided the Thee Yo Htar junta outpost on a bank of the Salween River, according to local media outlet Salween Press.

After being raided, the rest of the regime forces abandoned the outpost, which has a heliport, the media outlet reported, quoting a KNLA officer.

Eight junta soldiers killed in repeated PDF ambushes in Sagaing

Eight regime forces were killed in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when PDF commandos of four resistance groups ambushed a military detachment that was raiding villages in the township, claimed Salingyi Special Task Force, which was involved in the ambushes.

Firstly, five regime forces were killed and many others injured at 7 a.m. when the combined PDF fighters used machine guns and automatic firearms to ambush the military detachment between Taya and Shan Kaing villages. Before being ambushed, the regime forces destroyed houses during their raid on Taya Village.

At 3 p.m., three more soldiers were killed when the resistance fighters again ambushed the regime forces from close range while the troops were departing from Shan Kaing Village, claimed the PDF group.

In reprisal for the losses, the regime forces burned down houses and torched harvested crops and agricultural machinery belonging to residents of Shan Kaing and Owntaw villages.

Eight junta soldiers killed in PDF raid in Sagaing

A combined force of PDF fighters approaches and attacks a military checkpoint in the town of Monywa on Monday. / Golden Eagle Force-Monywa

Eight regime forces and a PDF fighter were killed in the town of Monywa, Sagaing Region on Monday when five PDF groups raided regime forces stationed in a three-story civilian building, said Golden Eagle Force-Monywa, which coordinated the attack.

The regime forces have been using the civilian building as a military checkpoint. After being attacked, the regime forces shot dead two civilians nearby, the PDF group said.

A PDF video shows resistance fighters approaching and attacking the military checkpoint.

Pro-regime militia camp bombed in Sagaing

Local resistance group M7 People’s Defense Army claimed it and two other PDF groups jointly used 180-mm improvised mortar shells to bomb a Pyu Saw Htee pro-regime militia camp in Innmahtee Village in Pale Township, Sagaing Region early on Tuesday.

Following the attack, the militia members responded with firearms, sparking a two-hour firefight. Militia casualties were unknown, the PDF group said.

Regime forces ambushed in Magwe

Many regime forces are believed to have been killed and injured in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday morning when four PDF groups used eight land mines to ambush the junta troops in a vehicle between two pro-regime villages, said Myaing-PDF, which was involved in the attack.

The vehicle was ambushed as the regime forces were returning to their base in Myaing from nearby Pakokku Township.

In a PDF video, gunfire can be heard coming from a vehicle after it is ambushed with land mines.

Regime forces bombed by PDF drone in Mandalay

At least two regime forces were injured in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region on Tuesday when Madaya-PDF used a drone to drop a bomb on a military detachment of 10 soldiers, said the PDF group.

The PDF’s aerial video shows PDF drones dropping a rifle grenade on regime targets.

Three more regime troops surrender in Chin

Three more junta soldiers from the military’s Infantry Battalion 266 based in Chin State’s capital Hakha surrendered to Chinland Defense Force-Senthang along with a firearm and ammunition including grenades on Nov. 11, the resistance group said on Tuesday.

The three military defectors were issued a reward and sent to a liberated area, the PDF group said.

A PDF official told local media that so far 15 regime forces had surrendered to the group in the state.