Fighters for the All Burma Student Defence Force (ABSDF) and People’s Defence Force (PDF) ambushed junta and allied forces in the forests of Pale Township, Sagaing Region, on Wednesday.
More than 100 junta and pro-junta troops are currently operating in Pale Township. Some are members of the regime-allied Pyu Saw Htee militias.
The Pale Township PDF—which is affiliated with the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG)—joined the ABSDF in an ambush on a column of pro-junta fighters at around 7am, according to a spokesperson for ABSDF Column 3.
The pro-junta force was traveling through the forest between the villages of Zee Phyu Kone, a Pyu Saw Htee stronghold, and Min Taing Pin, located three miles to the south, according to the spokesperson.
“We’ve been blocking supplies to the Pyu Saw Htee villages for two months now. This junta column was sent to bring supplies to those villages, and we ambushed them midway,” he said.
The resistance groups opened fire on the soldiers and militia members, catching them by surprise and causing several to stray off their path and step on landmines in the confusion, the spokesperson claimed, resulting in five casualties on the junta side but none among the resistance fighters.
“They thought we only small arms when started firing our rifles, so they got cocky and three of them ended up dead in the minefield. It happened right in front of us. Another one made it out of the minefield but was killed anyway,” he added.
The junta column withdrew back to Zee Phyu Kone village after exchanging fire for 15 minutes, he added.
Junta forces have set up a base in Zee Phyu Kone village, located 9 miles west of Pale, and used it to recruit and train Pyu Saw Htee militia troops.
Zaw Htet, a spokesperson for Pale Township PDF, said the resistance estimated there were up to 70 Pyu Saw Htee members in the village. Since resistance forces had the village surrounded, the militias were only able to carry out operations outside the village when junta columns came to provide support, he said.
“Junta columns conduct raids on villages when Pyu Saw Htee villages run out of supplies so that the Pyu Saw Htee members can loot the houses. They usually do that once a month,” he added.
Myanmar Now has yet to independently confirm the incidents described by the resistance forces, and the military council has not released a statement about them.
The PDF have repeatedly attacked the Pyu Saw Htee base in Zee Phyu Kone village. The Myanmar Royal Dragon Army, commanded by the armed resistance leader Naga, carried out the most recent attack on the village in March of this year. Three resistance members were killed by junta airstrikes in the ensuing battles.
