War Against the Junta
Resistance fighters of the Earthquake People’s Defense Force based in Magwe Region / Earthquake PDF
At least 44 Myanmar junta forces as well as five resistance members were killed in the last four days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) stepped up attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one case, resistance groups destroyed a police station just a few kilometers from the North West Military Command in Sagaing Region. Also, two junta soldiers defected from the military in Chin State.
Incidents were reported in Shan and Chin states and Sagaing, Mandalay and Magwe regions.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs.
Some military casualties could not be independently verified.
Heavy clash breaks out in southern Shan
At least 20 regime soldiers were killed during heavy clashes when three local resistance groups jointly attacked a large number of junta soldiers raiding Mobye town in Pekon Township, southern Shan State on Sunday, said Mobye PDF, which coordinated the attack.
Four resistance members were also killed and three others injured in the fighting.
Junta-controlled Insurance Department bombed in Mandalay
Urban resistance group No More Dictatorship PDF said it bombed the junta-run Myanma Insurance Department on Saturday, damaging the office and a vehicle of office staff.
The Myanmar junta earns a lot of revenue through the department. That night, the group also bombed a housing facility of junta traffic police, who have become notorious for extorting money from motorbikes and other vehicles in the city in cooperation with other regime security forces, the resistance group said.
Details of the damage and police casualties were unknown.
Two junta forces killed in resistance ambush in Mandalay
Local resistance group Naung Yoe PDF said it and two other PDF groups killed two regime forces on a motorbike who were traveling from a village to Seme Khone town in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region on Saturday morning.
A firearm, ammunition and a photo were seized from the two soldiers.
Junta base raided in Magwe
Many regime forces are thought to have been killed or injured in Pakokku Township, Magwe Region on Sunday when seven PDF groups attempted to occupy a regime base in Ashae Bone Kan Village, said Earthquake PDF, which coordinated the attack.
During the raid, PDF groups managed to occupy a junta base in the village school. However, they were unable to occupy another junta base in the monastery, as more reinforcements were heading to their clash site.
A resistance fighter was killed in the clash.
Junta column ambushed in Sagaing
PDF group Black Wolf Army claimed to have killed two soldiers and injured three others as it and two PDF groups used land mines to ambush 60 regime forces traveling on the Shwebo-Kyauk Myaung highway in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday.
Military logistics unit ambushed in Sagaing
Combined resistance groups take part in an ambush of a military logistics unit in Shwebo Township on June 8. / Daung Hmann PDF
At least eight regime forces were killed and four others injured in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region last Thursday when nine local resistance groups ambushed a military column of 50 troops from Shwebo town while transporting rations for another military unit stationed in Paline Village, said Daung Hman PDF, which joined the ambush.
First, the PDF groups used land mines and makeshift mortar rounds to attack the junta column near Mae Taw Village, killing five regime soldiers.
After being ambushed, the junta column fled back to Shwebo town.
Another clash broke out near Chi Par Village as the combined resistance forces chased and attacked the fleeing soldiers, killing three more soldiers and injuring four others.
The junta troops also burned civilian shops on the roadsides while fleeing.
Junta police station occupied by resistance in Sagaing
At least 12 regime forces were killed in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region last Friday when combined resistance forces occupied and burned down the police station in Nyaung Pin Gyi Village, said the Defense Ministry of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).
The police base is located only a few kilometers from the North West Military command based in Monywa town.
A resistance fighter was killed and five others injured when the junta conducted air strikes using an Mi-35 helicopter gunship. After the resistance raid, more reinforcements arrived in the area and burned houses in Nyaung Pin Gyi and nearby villages for several days.
Two defecting soldiers arrested in Chin
The Chin National Organization said on Saturday that its armed wing the Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) arrested two soldiers who defected from a military base in Rikhawdar town in Falam Township, Chin State on June 6.
The two were arrested along with a firearm and ammunition at a CNDF checkpoint.