Over 50 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Four Days of Resistance Attacks
By The Irrawaddy 24 February 2023
At least 51 Myanmar junta forces including several pro-regime militia members were killed in the last four days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) escalated their attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one case, over 30 PDF groups jointly attempted to occupy a military base in Magwe.
Incidents were reported in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe and Tanintharyi regions and northern Shan State.
The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Regime forces ambushed while looting, torching houses in Sagaing
At least 25 regime forces were killed and 18 injured in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when over a dozen local resistance groups from several townships jointly attacked 74 regime forces looting and torching houses in Pauk Chaing Village, claimed Wild Tiger PDF-Shwebo, which took part in the raid.
PDF groups used several land mines, improvised mortar shells and drones to attack the regime forces.
After facing the intense PDF attacks, the regime forces burned the bodies of killed soldiers along with houses in the village. Only 49 junta forces survived the PDF attack. The rest of the regime troops fled to the nearby pro-regime village of Taltheetaw.
PDF photos show charred bodies of soldiers in the remains of the burnt houses.
Regime camps bombed in Sagaing
Resistance fighters launch grenades at regime targets in the town of Monywa on Wednesday. / GEF-Monywa
Local PDF group Golden Eagle Force-Monywa claimed it and four other PDF groups used 40-mm explosives to attack regime forces stationed at the offices of the junta-controlled Immigration Department and Road and Transport Administration in the town of Monywa, Sagaing Region on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Two regime forces were killed and some others injured during the PDF attack on regime forces at the Road and Transport Administration office, the PDF group said.
No PDF casualties were reported, though regime forces responded with 40-mm and 60-mm explosives as well as automatic firearms.
Six pro-regime militia members killed in PDF ambushes in Sagaing
At least six pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed in PDF ambushes in Taze Township, Sagaing Region in the last four days, said Taze-PDF.
On Wednesday, five pro-regime militia members were killed when two PDF groups used a cluster of eight land mines to ambush junta troops from the military’s Light Infantry Battalion 361 and Pyu Saw Htee militia members heading to Hman Yin Village in the township.
On Monday, Taze-PDF also used land mines to ambush militia forces patrolling on a road near Bay Yin Village, killing a militia member.
Six regime forces killed in PDF raid in Magwe
At least six regime forces were killed and many others injured in Pauk Township, Magwe Region on Wednesday when 34 PDF groups attempted to occupy a military camp at the pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee village of Kokko Su, said Myaing Underground Defense Force, which joined the raid.
The PDF groups abandoned their mission of occupying the base as junta aircraft arrived and attacked them.
Regime troops attacked in Magwe
PDF fighters launch improvised rocket-propelled grenades at regime targets in the town of Yesagyo on Wednesday. / Red Peacock Guerrilla Force
Three junta forces were injured in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when two PDF groups used rocket-propelled grenades to attack regime soldiers stationed at the junta-run General Administration Department office in the town of Yesagyo, said Myingyan Black Tiger PDF, which coordinated the attack.
Regime forces opened fire at random, but there were no PDF casualties. The PDF video shows resistance fighters launching improvised rocket-propelled grenades.
Regime vehicles ambushed in Magwe
Yesagyo-PDF said its used two clusters of six land mines to ambush regime forces traveling in three civilian vehicles in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Thursday.
The junta troops used three civilian vehicles while traveling from the base of military Battalion 258 to the town of Yesagyo. In the attacks, two vehicles were stopped after being damaged by land mines. Military casualties were unknown.
Four regime forces killed in ruby town Mogok in Mandalay
PDF troops engage in a clash with regime forces in the town of Mogok on Tuesday. / Red Wolves of Mogok
At least four junta soldiers were killed and two others injured when two PDF groups used M79 grenade launchers to attack regime forces stationed at Kathe Ward Administration Office in the ruby town of Mogok in Mandalay Region early on Thursday.
After the grenade attack, a shootout continued in the area. All resistance forces managed to retreat from the area without casualties, the PDF groups said.
Police station bombed by PDF drones in Mandalay
Three junta policemen were killed and two others injured in Sintgu Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday when six PDF groups used drones to drop six bombs on a police outpost in Nwe Yone Village, said Kaung Kin Revolution Alliance, which joined the PDF drone strikes.
Regime forces injured, administrator and wife killed in Tanintharyi
Two junta soldiers were injured in Kawthaung Township, Tanintharyi Region on Thursday when PDF-Kawthaung attacked three junta sentries on a road, the PDF group said.
The group also claimed to have assassinated U Lin Htun Aung, a member of junta-appointed village administration groups, along with his wife Daw Aye Sein in a village in Khamauk Gyi town on Wednesday.
The couple was notorious for oppressing residents and had guided junta forces to PDF camps in the area.
Military battalion attacked in northern Shan State
Two army captains were killed in Naungcho Township, northern Shan State on Tuesday when PDF-Pwin Oo Lwin and Northern Shan PDF Alliance used both heavy explosives and firearms to attack the military’s Battalion 114, said the PDF groups.
