During a three-hour battle with an alliance of three resistance groups in Sagaing’s Katha Township on Sunday morning, the Myanmar army lost an estimated 20 troops, several locals said.
The Katha local defence force, the Katha People’s Defence Force (PDF) and the Myohla PDF attacked the junta column from Infantry Battalion (IB) 415, which is under the supervision of Light Infantry Division 88, near Nant San village, some 20 miles north of Katha town.
Fighting at close range began at 9am and ended at noon, with the military firing at least 50 artillery shells during the battle, according to a source close to the Katha PDF. She said that at least 20 junta troops were killed in the battle.
“Two PDF members were injured, one in his hip and one in his spine,” she added.
The Katha PDF released an announcement after the battle that a member of Myohla PDF was also killed.
Myanmar Now was not able to verify the exact number of casualties on either side during the clash.
On Saturday, two residents of Nant San—identified as Thar Tun and Hnin Si—were injured by the military’s artillery fire during a battle near their village.
The community is located near Moe Dar Gyi, another area village which was bombed by the junta in January.
Last week, the military raided a small Katha PDF base near the village of Kyun Pin, east of Nant San, which led to the PDF’s retaliatory attack on IB 415 on Sunday, the source close to the PDF said.
The column from IB 415 had been occupying Nant San and left the village early on Monday morning, heading east towards Chaung Wa more than seven miles away, according to a resident.
“I heard the junta forces from Chaung Wa also sent some troops towards the column as a scouting unit. I think they got scared as they lost so many people the other day,” he said.
An alliance of the Katha PDF and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front attacked a junta column near Nat Hlaing village, three miles north of Katha town, on January 22, reportedly killing at least seven junta soldiers.
Interceptions by PDFs are frequent in Katha Township, particularly of soldiers transporting weapons or moving across the region as reinforcements.
