An internal dispute within the anti-junta resistance led to a gunfight last week in the confluence area of Yesagyo Township, Magway Region, resulting in the death of one local resistance group member.
The anti-junta fighter killed in the exchange of fire, which lasted around half an hour on Friday morning, went by the name Maung Chan and was part of the leadership of a guerrilla group called MG 6. He was 27 years old.
The MG 6 guerrilla group first formed in Mandalay Region’s Myingyan District, across the Ayeyarwady River to the southeast. However, it has since been based in the confluence area of Magway Region, where the Ayeyarwady and Chindwin rivers flow into each other in Myanmar’s heartland.
The shooting took place between the guerrilla group and several other resistance forces that are based in the confluence area, including those under the direct command of the publicly-mandated National Unity Government (NUG), such as the Yesagyo Township People’s Defence Team (PDT).
The dispute that led to the shooting began on Thursday evening when the MG 6 group allegedly fired on and raided the home of an officer belonging to the anti-junta people’s administration team of War Boe village, according to a member of the Yesagyo PDT who asked not to be identified.
Both the Yesagyo PDT and MG 6 operate under the command of NUG but the latter’s operation territory is in Myingyan District.
The administrator was not home when the raid happened and his wife along with two children, 6 and 13, were taken by the guerrilla group, the Yesagyo PDT member said.
The arrests led other resistance groups, including the Yesagyo PDT, in the confluence area to go to MG 6 and ask for the release of the woman and the two children.
The fatal gunfight between the resistance groups started after the MG 6 group refused to release them. In addition to the death of Maung Chan, two other members of the group were taken prisoner by allied resistance forces.
The Yesagyo PDT member said that they had previously reported kidnappings, robberies, and trafficking in illegal drugs by the MG 6 urban guerrilla group to the defence ministry of the publicly mandated National Unity Government.
“That group often took civilians hostage and solicited bribes. A monk and two civilians went missing a while ago. This happened because the people of the confluence area could no longer put up with MG 6’s actions,” the Yesagyo PDT member said.
MG 6 has not made any public statement or responded to requests for comment on the reported incidents or claims.
