Almost 100 junta soldiers and some civilian resistance fighters were reportedly killed during fierce firefights across Myanmar on Wednesday and Thursday.

The People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) continue to step up operations, including urban attacks, against regime forces in Yangon, Mandalay, Magwe, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions and Chin, Shan and Kayah states.

On Thursday, a fierce firefight between regime troops and the combined PDFs and Karenni armed forces from Pekon and Mobye in Shan State and Loikaw and Demoso in Kayah State and the Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, broke out in the west of Pekon Township.

During several hours of fighting, at least 20 military troops were killed and a civilian resistance fighter was injured, Loikaw PDF said.

Regime troops fired many artillery shells and torched and looted a nearby village, the Pekon PDF said in a statement.

It said junta soldiers burned harvested rice in paddy fields and residents from several villages and Pekon town have fled their homes.

Around 15,000 Pekon residents left the town after junta artillery hit residential areas on Monday.

Five junta soldiers were killed and many others injured when the Chin Defense Force (CDF) in Kanpetlet ambushed a military convoy using motorbikes at Kyindwe in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, on Thursday morning.

The CDF said regime troops retreated after suffering casualties.

Two fierce shootouts between junta soldiers and the CDF in Mindat broke on the Mindat-Matupi highway in Mindat Township, Chin State, on Thursday, according to the CDF.

The casualties are unknown.

A house after being hit by junta artillery in a village in Pekon Township, Shan State, on Friday. / PDF Pekon

On Wednesday, around 10 junta soldiers were killed and many injured when the CDF in Mindat ambushed a convoy of 75 military vehicles, including two armored cars, on the Mindat-Matupi highway.

A 73-year-old civilian fighter, who was a retired teacher, was killed and two others were injured.

A combined force of the Kalay PDF and Chin National Defense Force raided regime forces stationed in the south of Kale Township, Sagaing Region, on Wednesday morning.

The combined force also ambushed a convoy of military reinforcements at two locations in the township.

The Kalay PDF claimed 47 junta soldiers were killed in the attacks and one civilian fighter was killed on Wednesday.

Two of its sentries were shot dead after being seized by junta troops, the group said.

A combined force of four civilian groups raided a military checkpoint between Taung Tha and Myingyan townships in Mandalay Region on Wednesday night.

In the raid, four junta soldiers were killed and one injured, according to the Myingyan Guerrilla Force, which took part in the attack.

The Myaing PDF ambushed three military vehicles using landmines in Myaing Township, Magwe Region, on Thursday.

At least three junta troops were injured when the Kani PDF attacked regime forces at the entrance of Kani in Sagaing Region on Wednesday morning, according to the civilian resistance group.

The Kani PDF on Wednesday also ambushed the Pyu-Saw-Htee group – a militia trained and armed by the military – on motorbikes taking food to regime forces at Yaylelkyun village in the township.

In the attacks, there were eight Pyu-Saw-Htee casualties, Kani PDF said.

Dawei Guerrilla Revolutionary Force claimed to have killed seven junta soldiers and injured at least 10 others during an ambush using landmines on a military convoy in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, on Wednesday morning.

Another clash between civilian resistance fighters and junta reinforcements occurred in the area on Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday and Thursday, guerrilla forces attacked regime forces at four locations, including two police stations and a ward administration office, in Mandalay.

One junta police officer was allegedly killed and at least four others injured.

On Thursday night, unidentified gunmen reportedly attacked a battalion in South Dagon Township, Yangon.

With the exception of Rakhine State, the regime is facing increasingly fierce attacks and ambushes from PDFs and some ethnic armed forces across the country.

Regime forces continue to commit atrocities, including the arbitrary of killing civilians, bombarding residential areas, looting and burning down houses and using civilians as human shields, especially in Magwe and Sagaing regions and Chin, Shan and Kayah states.

Source:
courtesy of THE IRRAWADDY

by THE IRRAWADDY

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