A military raid on a base used by local anti-junta defence forces in Mandalay Region’s Madaya Township on Wednesday led to an estimated 11 casualties on the junta’s side and the subsequent arrest of five members of the resistance, one of the fighters said.
Some 200 Myanmar army soldiers reportedly attacked the site, located just outside Thaphan Kaing village in eastern Madaya. Members of multiple allied resistance groups were present, including the Madaya People’s Defence Force, and guerrilla groups Naga Nyi Naung, Mongoose Squadron and Zarmani.
The resulting battle lasted 15 minutes, according to an officer within Naga Nyi Naung.
“We had to retreat due to the difference in firepower and manpower, although we used both heavy and light weapons,” the officer said.
In addition to the 11 junta soldiers reportedly killed in the battle, some eight troops were also wounded, according to a statement released by one of the defence forces on Wednesday.
Myanmar Now was unable to independently verify the number of casualties in the clash.
Members of the resistance coalition did not state whether their side had suffered any casualties, but noted that five people were taken into junta custody from the battle site. Further information on their whereabouts was not available at the time of reporting.
The Naga Nyi Naung officer said that the resistance alliance used explosive devices to launch a counterattack on the junta forces occupying the base on Thursday afternoon, but did not reveal further details about the ambush.
Most residents of the village of Thaphan Kaing fled their homes after Myanmar army troops arrived in the area and reportedly interrogated and beat locals in an effort to obtain information about local defence forces, according to the Wednesday statement.
The Myanmar army has been carrying out so-called “clearance operations” throughout villages in eastern Madaya Township as part of a campaign to crush the anti-coup armed struggle. Resistance forces have responded by launching guerrilla-style attacks on junta troops, frequently involving the use of makeshift explosives.
