At least 54 Myanmar junta forces were reportedly killed in the past week as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and some ethnic armed organizations continued to attack regime targets in many parts of the country.
Incidents were reported in Kayah and Karen states and Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and the ethnic armed groups.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Over a week of fighting in Kayah
Nine days of clashes occurred in Kayah State’s capital Loikaw from July 20 to 28. Karenni resistance groups including the Karenni Army ambushed military convoys carrying reinforcements on the Mobye-Loikaw Highway, as well as regime forces who were providing security for the convoy, said the Karenni Nationalities Defense Forces (KNDF), which joined the attacks.
On July 24 and 25 alone, at least 20 regime forces were killed. Resistance forces seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition and managed to destroy a military vehicle.
Heavy blast rocks notorious military checkpoint in Hpa-an
One person was killed and 13 others including regime personnel were reportedly injured in Hpa-an town, Karen State early Monday when a heavy explosion hit a military checkpoint that has been conducting strict security checks on civilians and vehicles near the Salween Bridge, according to local media reports.
Hpa-An Guerilla Force claimed responsibility for a car-bomb attack on the junta checkpoint.
Soldiers and other regime personnel at the checkpoint are notorious for arresting anti-regime activists and extorting money from civilians.
Military unit ambushed in Sagaing
At least four regime forces were killed in Pale Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when 11 fighters from the Myanmar Royal Dragon Army staged a guerrilla ambush on a military unit of 80 troops near a village, the resistance group claimed.
The bodies of four soldiers were retrieved from the area with a bullock cart. All resistance fighters retreated without casualties.
Junta base attacked in Sagaing
Resistance forces attack regime forces in Kyauk Yit Village in Myaung Township on Sunday. / MRDA
Myanmar’s Royal Dragon Army said it and other resistance groups jointly attacked regime forces stationed at the police station in Kyauk Yit Village in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday, killing two soldiers and injuring many others.
Police station, administration office attacked in Sagaing
Joint resistance forces attack regime targets in Myaung town on Monday. / MSPDF
At least two regime soldiers were killed and four injured in Myaung town, Sagaing Region on Monday when resistance groups conducted surprise attacks against regime forces stationed at the police station and junta-run township administration department office in the town, said Myaung Special People’s Defense Force (MSPDF), which joined the attacks.
On the same day, the MSPDF triggered land mines to ambush a military unit that was stationed in Kyauk Tan Village for three days, inflicting regime forces.
Junta troops killed in urban attacks in Sagaing
Fighters of Black Dragon Force stage a surprise attack on regime forces in Monywa Township on Monday. / Black Dragon Force
Black Dragon Forces, a group that forms Monywa District PDF battalion 27, told the media it killed two regime forces and injured three others when it attacked junta soldiers and policemen conducting security checks on civilians on a road in Monywa town, Sagaing Region on Monday.
Six junta troops killed in resistance raid in Depayin
Six regime soldiers were killed in Depayin Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday when three resistance groups raided a military checkpoint outside the town, said the Anti Dictatorship Revolution People’s Army, which was involved in the attack.
Some weapons, ammunition and military equipment were seized by the resistance forces from the checkpoint.
Military unit raiding villages ambushed in Sagaing
Student Armed Force (S.A.F.) said it coordinated with local resistance groups on July 28 and 29 to attack a military unit that was raiding villages and committing war crimes in Budalin Township, Sagaing Region.
In one clash, four regime forces including a captain were killed and many others injured, the group said, adding there were no resistance casualties.
Pro-junta militia unit bombed in Sagaing
At least nine pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia forces were killed and many others injured in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday when six local resistance forces jointly triggered mines to attack a militia unit comprising members from nine pro-regime villages, said the Wild Tiger Local PDF group, which joined the ambushes.
The militia members were ambushed while traveling to collect their salaries from the military regime.
Regime sentries raided in Magwe
Resistance group MG 6 Guerrilla Force claimed to have killed five soldiers and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia members in Yesagyo Township on Monday when it raided a regime sentry camp outside Min Ywar Village, where regime forces are stationed.
Military command bombed in Mandalay
The underground resistance group No More Dictatorship People’s Defense Force said it used 80-mm improvised mortar rounds to bomb the Myanmar military’s Central Command based at Mandalay Palace in the country’s second-largest city Mandalay early Tuesday.
The group later attacked another military base in Amarapura Township in the city. Details of the damage and military casualties were unknown.
