War Against the Junta
At least 33 regime forces including several pro-regime militia members and a ward administrator were killed in the last two days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) escalated their attacks on regime targets across the country.
In one attack, a junta-appointed ward administrator was assassinated by women resistance fighters.
Incidents were reported in Magwe, Sagaing and Mandalay regions and Chin State.
The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs.
Some military casualties could not be independently verified.
11 junta soldiers killed in clashes with PDF in Magwe
Eleven regime troops were killed and six injured during three clashes in Pauk Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when combined PDF groups from Pauk and Myaing townships jointly attacked regime forces near Kyun Tine Village, claimed Myaing-PDF, which joined the attack.
After sustaining losses, the regime forces burned houses in nearby Gawegone Village.
Over 10 regime troops killed by PDF land mine and ambush in Magwe
A heavy blast occurs near a small vehicle carrying regime forces in Pauk Township on Tuesday. / Myaing-PDF
Myaing-PDF claimed to have killed over 10 regime soldiers and policemen in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when it used a cluster of eight land mines to ambush a military detachment traveling to the town of Myaing after abandoning their police outpost in Bahin Village.
Many more regime forces are also believed to have been killed in neighboring Pauk Township on Tuesday afternoon when it and a Pauk-PDF group jointly ambushed a vehicle carrying regime forces using a heavy land mine and firearms, Myaing-PDF said.
A video shot by the PDF group shows a heavy blast occurring on a road as a small vehicle approaches.
Junta-appointed administrator assassinated by women PDF fighters in Magwe
Resistance group Earthquake PDF claimed their women fighters managed to assassinate junta-appointed ward administrator U Myint Thein at his house in the town of Pakokku in Magwe Region on Tuesday.
The ward administrator was notorious for oppressing civilians in the town.
The PDF group said it would continue its assassinations as many regime-appointed administrators had repeatedly failed to heed its warnings.
Three junta soldiers killed in PDF raid in Magwe
At least three regime soldiers were killed in Pakokku Township, Magwe Region on Monday when combined PDF groups used both heavy explosives and firearms to attack regime forces stationed at Anouk Hpone Kan Village, claimed Earthquake PDF, which joined the attack.
All PDF fighters managed to leave the clash site without casualties.
Two pro-regime militia members killed in PDF ambush in Magwe
Resistance fighters engage in a clash with regime forces. / Wolf Underground Force.
PDF group Wolf Underground Forces claimed to have killed two Pyu Saw Htee militia members and injured some others including junta soldiers in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when it and six other PDF groups ambushed the militia group near a pro-regime village.
The militia members, escorted by regime forces, were ambushed while going out to harvest peanuts on their farmlands.
A PDF video shows resistance fighters engaging in a clash with regime forces.
Pro-regime militia group ambushed in Magwe
Pyu Saw Htee pro-regime militia member Zaw Htet Aung was killed and four others were seriously injured in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Monday when two PDF groups ambushed two vehicles of regime forces and militia members between two pro-regime villages, said Myaing-PDF, which was involved in the attack.
The vehicles were returning to a village from the military’s Division 101 in the township.
The militia members are accused of looting and burning houses in nearby villages abandoned by residents fleeing junta raids.
Five junta soldiers killed in Sagaing
Five regime soldiers were killed and two injured in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday night when two PDF groups used grenades to attack regime sentries having drinks at the junta-controlled Myanmar Economic Bank, said Zero Guerrilla Force, which coordinated the attack.
All PDF fighters escaped from the area without casualties despite regime soldiers from a school nearby randomly opening fire.
Junta-run General Administration Department office attacked in Sagaing
The Daung Nat Guerrilla Force Without Borders group claimed it and another PDF group used heavy explosives to attack the junta-controlled township General Administration Department office in the town of Pale in Sagaing Region on Tuesday morning.
Some regime forces are believed to have been killed in the ensuing clash between PDF fighters and the regime forces at the office.
Military detachment hit by mines in Sagaing
Land mines explode as a military detachment walks on a road in Tamu Township. / Tamu-PDF
Many regime forces are believed to have been killed in Tamu Township, Sagaing Region on Monday when Tamu-PDF Battalion 3 used a cluster of land mines to ambush a military detachment traveling from Tamu to Kale town, the PDF group claimed.
The detachment burned houses in Htin Zin Village before facing the PDF’s mine ambush.
A video shot by the PDF group shows several explosions occurring around soldiers moving along a road on foot.
Junta soldiers killed, injured in resistance ambush in Sagaing
Some regime forces were killed or injured in Katha Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Katha-PDF group jointly ambushed a military detachment that had departed from Moetar Village in the township, Katha-PDF claimed.
In the ambush, the resistance groups used both land mines and firearms.
Fierce clash in Chin
A fierce clash between regime forces and ethnic Chin resistance groups broke out between the towns of Thantlang and Hakha in Chin State on Monday, local media outlet Zalen reported, citing resistance forces.
In the clash, military weapons and ammunition were seized by the resistance group. Junta helicopter gunships were called in to attack the Chin groups but there were no casualties among the resistance fighters, the media outlet said.
Pro-regime militia member killed in urban attack in Mandalay
A pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia member was killed in Pyigyitagon Township, Mandalay Region on Tuesday when three underground resistance groups threw a grenade into the office where pro-regime militia members were gathering, claimed Anonymous Force Mandalay, which coordinated the attack.