At least 64 Myanmar junta forces including pro-regime militia members were killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and an ethnic armed organization (EAO) escalated their attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one case, four staff from a junta-run township General Administration Department office were arrested and charged under anti-terrorism acts by a civilian administration group in Sagaing Region.
Incidents were reported in Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions and Shan, Kayah and Chin states.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Military regional command bombed in Kayah
PDF-Loikaw said on Friday that it and resistance drone team Falcon Wings used drones to bomb the headquarters of the military’s Kayah regional command in Kayah State’s capital Loikaw last November.
A junta regional military command is bombed in the Kayah State capital Loikaw. / PDF-Loikaw
In the attack, there were some military casualties. An aerial video shot by the PDF group shows the military command being bombed by a drone.
Thirty junta troops killed in clashes in northern Shan
Thirty regime forces were killed in a fierce clash with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Hseni Township, northern Shan State last Friday, claimed The Kokang, the media wing of the resistance group.
However, The Irrawaddy was unable to independently verify the military casualties.
Clashes continued to occur in the area until Saturday, the media reported.
Four junta administration staff arrested in Sagaing
Four servants of the junta-run township General Administration Department office in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region have been arrested by the township PDF group Myaung Revolution Army on Saturday, said the Home Affairs and Immigration Ministry of Myanmar’s Parallel National Unity Government (NUG).
The four junta staff including three women were detained by the resistance group while they were collecting household lists for the junta’s sham election.
Sagaing District People Administration Group plans to sue the four detainees under counter terrorism acts for collaborating with the military terrorists, the NUG’s Home Affairs Ministry said.
Military checkpoint bombed in Sagaing
Two regime forces were killed and three injured in the town of Ayadaw in Sagaing Region last Friday when PDF group Danger Force used a drone to drop bombs on regime forces at a military checkpoint, claimed the PDF group.
A drone drops bombs on regime targets in Ayadaw town last Friday. / Danger Force LPDF
An aerial video shot by the PDF group shows a drone dropping a bomb on regime targets.
After being bombed, regime forces stopped vehicles and detained commuters nearby, the PDF group said.
Regime forces shelled in Sagaing
Some regime forces are believed to have been killed or injured in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday when nine PDF groups used improvised mortar shells to attack regime forces stationed at a road junction, said the People’s Army to Fight Dictatorship, which joined the attack.
A drone drops bombs on regime targets in Ayadaw town last Friday. / Danger Force LPDF
After being shelled, the regime forces responded indiscriminately with heavy explosives and firearms.
However, there were no resistance casualties.
Ten regime forces killed in PDF raid in Sagaing
At least 10 regime forces and pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed and 10 others injured in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region last Friday when seven PDF groups from Sagaing and Mandalay regions jointly attacked forces from the pro-regime village of Kywe Pon, claimed Sagaing District PDF Battalion 1, which took part in the attack.
Forces from the pro-regime village have become notorious for looting and burning down nearby villages and killing civilians including Buddhist monks, the PDF group said.
On Jan. 6, junta soldiers and militia members from the pro-regime village burned houses and killed four civilians including a monk in adjacent Depayin Kwal Village.
Resistance forces blocked, attacked in Sagaing
Local resistance force Thaymintaman Group said it and two other PDF groups lost three vehicles and improvised weapons after being blocked and attacked by regime forces in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region last Thursday.
The resistance forces were blocked and attacked by forces from two military detachments while planning to ambush regime forces burning houses in two Salingyi villages.
In the junta ambush, a PDF fighter was injured in the leg, but all resistance members escaped without being arrested.
Three vehicles, a motorbike and improvised weapons belonging to resistance groups were burned by the junta troops, the PDF group said.
In the shootout, a junta soldier was also killed, the PDF group claimed.
Junta personnel collecting voter lists attacked in Sagaing
Resistance group Daung Nat claimed to have attacked regime forces and junta staff collecting voter lists for the junta’s sham election in Pale Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday.
Resistance fighters retreated from the site when junta reinforcements arrived in the area. However, military casualties were unknown.
Junta officers instructed their subordinates to search for PDF forces at every house while compiling the household lists.
PDFs and EAOs across the country have warned that they will take action against regime forces and staff who collaborate on the junta’s sham election.
Junta police outpost attacked in Sagaing
At least 10 regime forces are believed to have been killed or injured in Pale Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday when eight PDF groups jointly attacked regime forces at the Kan Daunk police outpost, said Black Leopard Army, which coordinated the attack.
In the clash, PDF groups used a hundred 80mm improvised mortar rounds and 30 rocket-propelled explosives to attack the police outpost. Two resistance fighters were also injured in the shootout, the PDF group said.
Junta-run immigration offices bombed in Magwe
Resistance group Eagle Force claimed to have bombed two junta-run immigration offices in the towns of Thayat and Mintone in Magwe Region on Friday and Saturday in a strike against the military’s plan to hold a sham election.
The group urged people to boycott the election, saying it will be held by a military junta that seized power from the elected government and murders people.
Ten junta troops killed in PDF attacks in Bago
Ten regime forces including two pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed in a series of attacks in Kyaukgyi Township, Bago Region in the last three days, said Bago Region PDF.
On Sunday morning, Bago Region PDF Battalion 3207 used a drone to bomb regime forces stationed at Naung Kone Village in the township, in which two junta soldiers were killed. On that afternoon, the PDF group continued to conduct drone strikes against regime forces in Lal Wine Gyi Village. Military casualties were unknown.
Six regime forces including two militia members were also killed in the township last Friday when the PDF group used drones to bomb regime forces at the Bonthataw Bridge.
On Saturday, two more soldiers were killed and four injured when the PDF groups continued to bomb regime forces repairing the damaged bridge.
The PDF group also claimed to have destroyed a bridge mainly used by the regime in the township.
Regime forces attacked in Chin
A junta soldier was killed in Matupi Township, Chin State on Sunday when a clash erupted between the Chinland Defense Force-Matupi and 100 regime soldiers in the Nga Lai Village, said the Chin resistance group.
The shootout started as CDF-Matupi attacked regime forces raiding the village. In the clash, a resistance fighter went missing. Regime forces stationed in the village randomly shelled nearby areas.
