Nearly 50 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Three Days of Resistance Attacks
By The Irrawaddy 18 January 2023
At least 48 Myanmar junta forces including pro-regime militia members and regime-appointed administrators were killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups continued to attack regime targets across the country.
A resistance fighter was killed in a fierce clash with regime forces in Sagaing Region and two civilians were also killed during a shootout in Tanintharyi Region.
Incidents were reported in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi regions.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Twenty regime forces killed, injured in PDF ambush in Sagaing
Resistance forces engage in a clash with regime forces in Salingyi Township on Monday. / SSTF
At least 20 regime forces are believed to have been killed or injured in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region on Monday when several PDF groups jointly ambushed a military detachment of 70 troops heading to Sar Htone Village, according to the PDF groups and the Defense Ministry of Myanmar’s parallel National Unity Government (NUG).
After suffering heavy losses in two hourlong shootouts, a Russian-made Mi-35 regime helicopter gunship conducted air strikes against resistance forces to evacuate troops on the ground.
In the shootout, a resistance fighter was also killed, the PDF forces told The Irrawaddy.
Regime vehicles ambushed in Sagaing
A regime soldier was killed in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday when Area 71 PDF-Monywa ambushed regime forces clandestinely traveling in civilian vehicles in the township, the PDF group said.
After conducting a surveillance operation for several days, they ambushed the regime forces stationed at the Technology University in the township while the latter were traveling in three civilian vehicles.
After being ambushed, regime forces responded with both automatic firearms and heavy explosives, but all PDF fighters retreated from the ambush site without casualties, the resistance group claimed.
Three regime troops killed in PDF land mine ambush in Sagaing
Three regime forces were killed and five injured in Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region on Monday when two PDF groups used 14 improvised land mines to ambush regime forces from Bantbwe Village, said Dragon Brother Task Force, which took part in the ambush.
Twenty regime forces including pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members stationed at the village were ambushed while going out to obtain rations in nearby villages.
Eight regime forces killed in PDF raid in Tanintharyi
Eight regime forces including pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed by combined resistance forces during their raid targeting a junta-appointed village administrator in Shat Pon Village in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region on Monday, said Palaw Regional Defense Force, which coordinated the attack.
The shootout erupted when PDF forces attempted to arrest the administrator at his house just as regime forces were about to escort him to another location.
During the clash, two civilians were shot and killed. There were no PDF casualties, however.
Two military weapons and ammunition were seized, the PDF group said.
Junta outpost torched in Tanintharyi
Launglon People’s Defense Force, along with the allied Special Guerrilla Force, claimed to have torched an abandoned junta police outpost on Monday night in Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region.
The outpost was abandoned by 50 regime forces last Friday after repeated attacks by resistance forces.
Regime forces bombed by PDF drone in Mandalay
Local resistance group Nway Oo Takhon claimed it and five other PDF groups killed two regime forces and injured three others as they used a drone to drop a bomb on 20 regime forces stationed at a village in Ngazun Township, Mandalay Region on Monday.
The PDF group said it had to call off the aerial mission after dropping one bomb, as regime forces were armed with an anti-drone gun.
An aerial video shot by the PDF shows a drone dropping a bomb on regime targets.
All resistance forces retreated from the area without any casualties despite regime forces randomly responding with firearms.
Junta-run township General Administration Office attacked in Mandalay
Urban resistance group General Z Power claimed it and other PDF groups used an M79 grenade launcher to attack the junta-run township General Administration Department office of Amarapura Township in the city of Mandalay on Monday.
Some regime forces are believed to have been injured or killed, the PDF group said.
Four junta soldiers killed in Bago
Paungde PDF group claimed to have killed four regime soldiers and injured three others as they used a cluster of three land mines to attack a military detachment of 33 troops traveling in the forest in Paungde Township, Bago Region on Monday.
After suffering casualties, regime forces randomly responded with both firearms and heavy explosives and burned down seven civilian farm huts nearby.
All PDF fighters retreated from the area without any casualties, the PDF group said.
Junta-appointed administrator killed in Bago
Bago Region PDF said one of its resistance groups, Kyaukgyi PDF, assassinated junta-appointed ward administration member U Thein Lwin in the town of Kyaukgyi in Bago Region on Monday.
The administrator was notorious for oppressing and extorting money from civilians. Recently, the administrator had been actively collaborating with junta officials to organize the regime’s coming sham election.
Following the assassination, regime forces randomly shelled nearby villages with 120-mm artillery rounds, injuring a resident, Bago Region PDF said.
Nine junta soldiers killed in PDF ambush in Magwe
At least nine regime troops were killed in Natmauk Township, Magwe Region on Sunday when two PDF groups ambushed 12 soldiers on six motorbikes on a road, according to local media reports citing the PDF groups.
A representative of Galone Force-Natmauk, which coordinated the attack, told the media that the groups attacked the regime forces after conducting mine ambushes.
All resistance forces retreated when regime reinforcements arrived in the area. After the clash, regime forces torched some houses in nearby Phattawya Village.
