War Against the Junta
At least 40 Myanmar junta troops as well as a resistance battalion commander were killed in the last four days as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and an ethnic armed organization (EAO) continued to attack regime targets across the country.
In one case, a deputy PDF battalion commander was beheaded by junta troops in Sagaing.
Incidents were reported in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe and Yangon regions and Mon State.
The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and the EAO.
Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Resistance commander beheaded in Sagaing
The deputy battalion commander of Sagaing District PDF Battalion 1 was beheaded by troops of the junta military’s Ogre Column during their raid on the headquarters of the resistance group in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region on Thursday morning, according to local resistance groups.
Two PDF members are still missing after the junta raid. Some hours later, local PDF groups conducted drone strikes on the junta forces that occupied the PDF’s bases, in which at least a dozen soldiers are believed to have been killed or injured, said Civilian Defense and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM), which coordinated the attack.
Regime forces ambushed in Sagaing
At least two junta soldiers were killed and two others suffered serious injuries in Kani Township, Sagaing Region on Thursday when Kyauk Lone Gyi PDF and another resistance group ambushed 30 regime forces from the town of Kani, said the PDF group.
The junta troops were attacked while exiting the town to go on patrol.
PDF forces retreated from the ambush site without casualties when 50 military reinforcements arrived.
Regime forces bombed while raiding villages in Sagaing
Resistance forces fire improvised mortar rounds at regime targets in Sagaing Township on Thursday. / Tike Nal Swun-PDF
Local resistance group Tike Nal Swun-PDF said it used improvised mortar shells to bomb a military detachment raiding villages in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region on Thursday.
On Thursday morning, the group shelled regime forces near a village, prompting them to flee to their base at the Nyaung Pin Wun police outpost.
Later, the PDF group continued to bomb the regime forces at the police outpost with improvised mortar rounds. However, regime casualties were unknown.
Thirty junta soldiers killed in series of land mine attacks in Sagaing
At least 13 junta soldiers were killed and many others injured in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday when combined PDF groups conducted six mine ambushes against a military vehicle covered with metal plates, said Dog Killer PDF-Myinmu, which joined the attacks.
The vehicle carrying 40 regime forces was traveling from Monywa to Myinmu at 9 p.m. on Wednesday night. On their way, regime forces from the vehicle opened fire at random.
Military convoy carrying jade ambushed in Mandalay
At least 15 junta troops were killed in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday when Tagaung-PDF and other local defense forces conducted mine ambushes against a military convoy of 43 vehicles carrying jade from upper Sagaing Region, said the PDF group.
The convoy was ambushed with land mines planted in two locations. Regime forces from the convoy were unable to respond.
The combined resistance group used a cluster of land mines to conduct six ambushes against the vehicles, the PDF group said.
Military convoy faces resistance ambushes in Magwe
A military convoy is hit by mine ambushes and drone strikes in Pakokku Township on Wednesday. / Black Cobra Force-Pakokku
At least four regime forces were killed in Pakokku Township, Magwe Region on Wednesday and Thursday when combined PDF groups conducted land mine ambushes and drone strikes against a military convoy of 20 vehicles, said Black Cobra Force-Pakokku, which joined the attack.
The convoy of 80 soldiers and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia members was carrying looted supplies from villages to the town of Pakokku.
First, the PDF groups used a land mine to ambush the convoy between Kan Taw and Nyaung Jit Pin Village on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the combined groups conducted further land mine ambushes and drone strikes against the convoy.
Junta forces raze village after facing resistance attack in Magwe
A military detachment of 200 troops burned down nearly all 138 houses in Kin Mon Chone Village in Salin Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday morning, according to local resistance groups.
The arson attack came after junta forces faced a heavy, two-hour attack by five combined resistance groups, said Pwint Pyu-PDF, which joined the defensive attack.
The PDF groups managed to evacuate senior citizens and pregnant women from the village along with other residents.
Only 15 houses were left and around 500 residents were made homeless, the PDF group said.
An army captain killed in Magwe
Local PDF group Myingyan Black Tiger said it and other resistance forces killed an army captain on Wednesday as they conducted a surprise attack on regime forces stationed at a monastery in the town of Yesagyo in Magwe Region.
Another soldier suffered serious injuries. A video shot by the PDF shows a resistance fighter silently approach and open fire on regime targets.
Military checkpoint bombed in Mon
At least three regime forces were killed and seven injured in Kyaikhto Township, Mon State on Tuesday when four resistance groups including the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union, conducted drone strikes on a heavy military checkpoint at the Mayan Chaung Village on the Yangon-Mawlamyaing Highway, said Thaton-PDF, which joined the attack.
First, the combined groups used drones to drop six bombs on the checkpoint, killing three junta policemen and injuring two others.
On that evening, the groups also conducted drone strikes on a military base at a cemetery in the township, injuring five regime forces. The groups urged civilians to stay away from regime forces, convoys and bases.
Two junta policemen shot dead in Yangon
Local resistance group PDF-Kayan claimed to have killed two junta policemen near the border of Kayan and Thongwa townships in Yangon Region on Thursday.
The victims were shot dead while returning from a meeting.
