11 Myanmar resistance fighters killed in ambush

Regime forces killed 11 resistance fighters aligned with Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) in Mandalay Region’s Taungtha Township on Monday, according to local resistance sources. The attack occurred at around 9am, when a vehicle carrying members of the NUG’s People Defence Force (PDF) and People’s Defence Organisation (PDO) was ambushed near the village of Than Hpo, an officer from Myingyan District PDF Battalion 3 said. The group were en route to the site of a planned attack on junta forces when they were caught off guard by troops lying in wait in a forested area. Resistance officials said the unit had conducted several drone reconnaissance flights beforehand but detected no unusual activity. “The forest appeared clear, and there were no signs of danger,” the officer said. “But the junta unit had already taken concealed positions to ambush them.” Ten fighters were killed in the initial attack, and another died after being evacuated with a severe gunshot wound, bringing the total death toll to 11. Several others were wounded. The dead included nine Myingyan District PDF Battalion 3 members and two fighters from the Taungtha Township PDO. All were in their 20s, according to resistance officials. Pro-military Telegram channels reported that junta troops seized weapons and equipment from the vehicle, including rifles, grenades and ammunition. Images shared online showed bodies in both military-style and civilian clothing, as well as a burned-out vehicle. The Myanmar military has not publicly commented on the incident. The ambush comes amid intensified fighting in central Myanmar, where the military has deployed large numbers of troops in an effort to regain control of key transport routes and territories held by resistance forces. Taungtha, along with nearby Myingyan and Natogyi townships, has seen sustained clashes between junta forces and resistance groups. The area is also a stronghold of military-backed Pyu Saw Htee militias. In January, Myingyan District PDF Battalion 3 troops captured the husband of notorious Pyu Saw Htee leader Thida Yu Mon in Myingyan Township, west of Taungtha. Resistance fighters have maintained a strong presence in parts of Mandalay Region despite a broader military push that has retaken several towns following a China-brokered ceasefire in northern Shan State. Local residents say ongoing military operations have displaced civilians and led to the destruction of hundreds of homes in affected areas.

11 Myanmar resistance fighters killed in ambush

The attack, in Mandalay’s Taungtha Township, comes as the regime steps up its efforts to regain control of key transport routes in the region

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