At least 55 Myanmar junta forces as well as three resistance fighters were killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and an ethnic armed organization (EAO) stepped up attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one case, two regime soldiers defected to a resistance group in Karen State.
Incidents were reported in Bago, Sagaing, Mandalay and Magwe regions and Karen State.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and the EAO.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Junta suffers heavy losses in resistance attack in Bago’s Kyauktaga
More than 30 regime forces were killed and many others injured in Kyauktaga Township, Bago Region when a joint force of PDFs and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), attacked a military unit for nine hours in Thamin Inn Kone Village, said the Defense Ministry of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), which formed the PDFs.
A PDF fighter and two KNLA troops were also killed. A large quantity of military weapons and ammunition was seized by the resistance groups.
The junta forces had not yet retrieved their dead soldiers from the clash site, according to Kyauktaga PDF, which added that the junta also cut off phone connections in the township.
Regime forces killed in series of resistance attacks in Bago
At least seven regime troops were killed when resistance groups conducted attacks on regime targets in Phyu Township, Bago Region on Tuesday and Wednesday, said the NUG’s Defense Ministry.
On Aug. 9, PDF groups raided a police station in Nyaung Pin Thar Village, killing two regime forces and injuring four others. PDF groups retreated from the area without casualties.
On Tuesday, the resistance group also used a drone to drop two 60-mm mortar bombs on regime forces positioned in a forest near a police station in Oak Phyat Village, Phyu Township. Four regime forces were killed and three injured.
The resistance groups continued to attack the regime forces at the police station with sniper fire and heavy explosives, killing one more regime soldier and injuring three others.
Junta soldiers killed by resistance mines in Bago
At least four regime troops were killed and many others injured in Nattalin Township, Bago Region on Wednesday when Tharyarwaddy District PDF Battalion 1 triggered land mines to ambush a military unit heading to a resistance area near Taung Nyo Dam, said the PDF group.
After being ambushed, the retreating soldiers burned houses in nearby Pyinn Ma Khaung Village on that afternoon.
Regime targets bombed by resistance drones in Magwe
Myaing PDF said it and other resistance groups used drones and makeshift remote-controlled planes to drop bombs on regime forces stationed in the pro-regime village of Thayet Khwa, where a Pyu Saw Htee militia group was formed, in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Thursday.
Military casualties were unknown.
Police station attacked in Magwe
Combined resistance forces stage a surprise attack on a police station in Kamma town, Pakokku Township on Wednesday. / Scorpion PDF (Myaing)
Two junta troops were gunned down in Pakokku Township, Magwe Region on Wednesday when several resistance groups jointly staged a surprise attack on a police station in Kamma town, said West Plains Force, which joined the attack.
Military checkpoints pounded in Magwe
Resistance forces fire improvised mortar rounds at regime bases in Myaing Township on Tuesday. / Myaing PDF
Three regime forces were killed or injured in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when local resistance groups used a large number of makeshift mortar rounds to shell two military bases on the highways linking Mandalay and Pakokku Township, said Myaing People’s Defense Force, which coordinated the attacks.
Junta forces responded indiscriminately with heavy explosives and firearms, but there were no resistance casualties.
Military flotilla ambushed in Sagaing
Kyauk Lone Gyi PDF claimed to have killed a soldier as it and other resistance groups used sniper rifles to ambush regime forces on a military flotilla of 12 vessels including barges and gunboats traveling on the Chindwin River in Kani Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday.
Regime forces killed in resistance drone strikes in Mandalay
Resistance drones drop bombs on regime targets in Ngazun Township on Wednesday. / Black Eagle Defense Force (Myinmu)
At least four junta soldiers including a captain were killed in Ngazun Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday when six resistance groups used drones to drop bombs on regime forces stationed in the pro-junta village of Yay Lal Thaung, where pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia groups were formed, said Black Eagle Defense Force (Myinmu), which joined the attacks.
The next day, the combined resistance groups continued to conduct drone strikes on another military unit including Pyu Saw Htee militias from Kan Thar Village as the regime forces were traveling to Yay Lal Thaung. In the drone strikes, many regime forces suffered injuries.
Junta troops responded with firearms but all resistance members retreated from the area without casualties, the resistance groups said.
Military vehicles hit by mines in Mandalay
Natogyi PDF members trigger land mines during a recent ambush of military vehicles in Natogyi Township. / Natogyi PDF
Natogyi PDF claimed to have killed four regime soldiers and injured many others when it triggered land mines to ambush three military trucks in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday.
The vehicles were ambushed while traveling from Natogyi to Myittha town in the east of the township.
Two junta soldiers defect in Karen
Two junta soldiers including a sergeant from Light Infantry Battalion 118 defected from the military and joined Karen resistance fighters in Myawaddy Township, Karen State on Tuesday, said Myanmar’s oldest ethnic rebel group, the Karen National Union (KNU).
The two defectors surrendered their weapons to the resistance group. Each soldier was given a 50,000 Thai baht (US$1,400) reward for defecting.
