62 Myanmar junta troops killed as rebels claim more bases in 3 days of clashes

Myanmar's junta lost more bases and 62 troops in the last three days as the People's Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) stepped up attacks on regime targets across the country, reports The Irrawaddy.

Incidents were reported in Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions and Kachin and Karen states of the country.

Myanmar regime forces abandoned their mission to retake Shwe Pyi Aye town in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday after PDF forces mounted a successful 10-day defence of the town, Homalin PDF group told The Irrawaddy.

Since 26 January, some 400 regime forces and the allied Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) had attempted to recapture the town, which was seized by PDF forces on 22 November last year.

The PDF forces found 15 buried bodies of regime troops in abandoned junta positions. During the clashes, another 40 regime forces also suffered injuries, said Homalin PDF.

Yesagyo PDF said it and another PDF battalion dropped over 20 drone bombs on a military unit of 100 troops from the junta's Light Infantry Battalion 258, while the latter were looting houses after taking up positions in Kyauk Hle Bee Village in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Saturday.

In the drone strikes, two regime forces were killed and six others injured, said the PDF group.

The group said it also conducted a drone strike on the pro-junta village of Zee Taw, which is home to a pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia group. However, details of damage and casualties were unknown.

The Myingyan Black Tiger PDF group and another resistance group used grenades and 40-mm explosives to attack regime forces stationed at a monastery in Yesagyo town on Saturday, injuring two regime forces.

Myingyan Black Tiger PDF said it and Mandalay District PDF Battalion-3 used a cluster of 10 land mines to ambush a military truck between two villages in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region on Saturday.

The vehicle was travelling from Myingyan town to Natogyi town. After being ambushed, the vehicle stopped in nearby Tharyargone Village and randomly opened fire on nearby areas. Then, it turned back to Myingyan. Two regime troops were killed in the land mine attack, said Myingyan Black Tiger, citing military informants.

At least 15 regime forces were killed in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region last Friday when 10 PDF groups raided a junta base of 20 troops in San Pya Village, said Natogyi Regional PDF, which joined the raid.

During the raid, the combined PDF forces also attacked junta reinforcements arriving in the village with eight vehicles. Some weapons were seized from the junta troops.

A resistance fighter from the Myingyan Black Tiger PDF group was killed in the clash.

Powerful ethnic rebel group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) managed to seize another junta base in Nant Tain Village in Myanmar's jade hub Hpakant Township, Kachin State on Sunday, according to local Kachin media outlets.

KIA troops seized the base after besieging it for days. During the raid, the bodies of eight dead junta troops were found at the base.

During the seizure of the base, a strategic military base in Hpakant shelled the KIA troops to defend its base in Nant Tain.

On 5 January, the KIA launched simultaneous raids on regime bases in Nant Tain and Wai Khar villages in Hpakant. KIA troops seized two regime hilltop bases and a police station in Wai Khar Village on 20 January.

The KIA also captured another junta strategic base in Mansi Township, Kachin State last Friday.

Over 20 regime forces were killed in Thandaunggyi Township, Karen State on Sunday when resistance fighters of the PDF and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), seized the strategic Mine Lwin junta base after three days of attacks, said the Defense Ministry of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), whose armed wing is the PDF.

The resistance groups seized ammunition and rations from the junta base.