Myanmar: 85 junta soldiers killed in three days

GBNEWS24DESK//

Twenty-five more junta soldiers have reportedly killed in Sagaing Region following clashes between civilian resistance groups and regime forces, raising the total number of junta troops killed in the last three days to 85, reports The Irrawaddy newspaper.

Kawlin Revolution (KR), which shares news of the Kawlin People’s Defense Force (KLPDF), had previously reported killing 40 regime soldiers on Wednesday morning in clashes near Kyunbyintha Village, Kawlin Township in Sagaing. However, KR has since said that a further 20 soldiers were killed in those clashes.

Another 25 military regime troops were killed on Thursday in a follow-up firefight in the east of Kawlin, according to KR. Three civilian resistance fighters were killed in the clash.

A photo showing members of the KLPDF and local residents preparing to cremate several of the dead soldiers was released by KR on Thursday.

The group said that the body of army major Ye Htut Oo, which had been partially buried by retreating junta troops, was also found.

Six military vehicles carrying junta reinforcements arrived in Kawlin early Thursday morning.

On Friday, a local resident told The Irrawaddy that many areas of Kawlin are now under the control of People’s Defense Forces (PDF). PDF checkpoints on roads are inspecting vehicles to stop the transport of illegally-harvested timber and goods destined for the Myanmar military or produced by army-owned companies.

Kawlin Township has been a hotbed of armed resistance to the military regime. In early July, 44 junta soldiers were killed and another 20 injured in clashes with the KLPDF. Three KLPDF fighters died in those battles.

Civilian fighters in Kawlin are now preparing for revenge raids by the regime. KR claimed on Friday that two columns of junta troops are planning to conduct clearance operations in the east and west of Kawlin, one of the columns having passed through neighboring Kyunhla Township.

On Thursday, regime jets conducted airstrikes against PDFs in Kyunhla, while around 100 soldiers were flown in by helicopter as reinforcements, according to local media.