About 70 Myanmar junta troops killed in three days of resistance attacks

Around 70 Myanmar junta troops were killed in the last three days as People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) continued to attack regime targets across the country, reports The Irrawaddy.

The Myanmar junta has been accused of using banned chemical weapons in its operations to retake bases from EAOs in northern Shan State.

Incidents of fighting were reported in Shan and Rakhine states and Yangon, Sagaing and Magwe regions.

The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs.

Some military casualties could not be independently verified.

AA EVACUATES ANOTHER 104 CIVILIANS FROM PAUKTAW

The Arakan Army (AA) said it managed to evacuate another 104 civilians, including many who had been detained as human shields by regime forces, during a clash with junta soldiers in Pauktaw town, Rakhine State on Wednesday.

A junta unit of 100 troops recaptured Pauktaw from the AA last Thursday after junta aircraft and gunboats bombed the town. Since then, hundreds of trapped civilians have been detained by the junta and used as human shields, while many others have been hiding in their houses.

Wednesday’s evacuation followed an operation on Tuesday in which AA troops rescued 120 civilian detainees who had been used as human shields after clashes with regime forces in the town.

At least 48 regime forces were killed during the two rescue missions, the AA said.

JUNTA ACCUSED OF USING CHEMICAL BOMBS IN NORTHERN SHAN

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) accused the Myanmar junta of using chemical weapons on Thursday evening during an operation aimed at retaking the regime’s Nant Salat base, which was recently captured by MNDAA troops in Hseni Township, northern Shan.

After being bombed with the chemical weapons, the MNDAA troops suffered from dizziness and nausea, the ethnic armed group said.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) also claimed that the junta on Saturday used the globally banned chemical weapons to recapture the strategic base of Sakhan Thit Kone, which had been seized by TNLA troops in Namkham Township on the previous day.

The junta also used such chemical weapons in an attack on TNLA troops in Lashio Township, northern Shan on Nov. 4.

The military regime has lost more than 180 bases, six towns and strategic trade routes across northern Shan State since the launch of Operation 1027 by an alliance comprising the MNDAA, TNLA and the Arakan Army (AA).

REGIME TARGETS ATTACKED IN COMMERCIAL HUB YANGON

The urban resistance group Yangon Army claimed it attacked regime forces stationed at the junta-run Electric Power Cooperation Department (EPC) in Okkalapa (North) Township, Yangon early on Friday morning.

It also attacked regime forces at the EPC office in Okkalapa (South) Township on Thursday night, but details of regime casualties were unknown.

Resistance groups urged Yangon residents to stay away from regime forces and junta-run government department offices due to potential attacks.

REGIME FORCES AMBUSHED IN SAGAING

At least three regime forces are believed to have been killed in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday when three resistance groups used firearms and improvised heavy weapons to attack regime forces from Nyaung Pin Wun Police station, said Tike Nal Swun PDF, which joined the attack.

Regime forces were attacked while extorting money from civilian vehicles on the road in front of the police station.

MILITARY UNIT AMBUSHED WITH LAND MINES IN SAGAING

Theik Hdi Shin PDF said it and eight other resistance groups used land mines to ambush a military unit of 100 troops traveling on the Shwebo-Mandalay road in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday, killing three soldiers and injuring five others.

Ambulances were used to take killed and injured troops back to Shwebo town. The remaining troops kept traveling and arrived in Wetlet Township on Thursday, the resistance group said.

MILITARY BASE RAIDED IN MAGWE

Sixteen regime forces were killed and five injured in Pakokku Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when three resistance groups led by the Burma National Revolution Army (BNRA) raided the military checkpoint at Pan Tine Chone Village on the Pakokku-Yesagyo road, said Southern Yesagyo PDF group, which joined the attack.

All resistance forces retreated from the site without casualties after being attacked by 100 junta reinforcements who arrived in the area.