According to Phoenix-D-F and CDM elephant keepers, the SAC military patrolling to Nyanlae village in Nattalin town of Bago Region, had used non-CDM elephant keeper staff as human shields.
The SAC column was attacked by guerrillas by comrades from Tharyarwaddy District 3801 battalion and Phoenix-D-F on October 15th and 17th.
“We entered the CDM early, otherwise we will be a human shield of the SAC military. We know that some of them (staff who did not join the CDM) were affected by the mine. We have 9 elephants and more than 30 families of elephant keepers,” according to an elephant keeper who joined the CDM in July.
During the above encounter, 7 members of the SAC military were killed and many people were injured,” said Phoenix-D-F Information Officer Major Moe Kyoe.
“The strength of the SAC military will be about 36 people. They started coming out in the morning on October 15th. We thought they were coming from the sea and were waiting. They came from the back of Aung Thukha village towards the Sinwin area of Nyanlae village,” explained Major Moe Kyoe.
October 15, in the early morning, after the residents of Taung Nyogyi village opened fire with percussion lock guns (handmade guns) to the SAC column, 47-year-old Ko Poe Phyu and Ko Win Bo, who were in farm, were arrested, according to Captain Moe Kyoe.
“The people still went and shot them with the handmade guns they had. Ko Poe Phyu was arrested and taken away with them. Ko Win Bo was beaten to death and covered with leaves. Although we knew that the one who had been beaten and left would not die during the night, we could not save him due to the situation. He was rescued in the morning of the 16th and was receiving medical treatment,” he said.
“On October 15, at around 8:00 am, the PDF forces attacked the column between Nyanlae village and Sinwan, and a SAC soldier was killed due to sniper fire,” said Ko Khet Zaw, a commander of Phoenix-D-F.
“According to eyewitness, a SAC soldier was killed by the sniper shooting. The close combat ended at 2:00 in the afternoon. Many people were seriously injured on the side of the SAC military. Then they went into the elephant camp and spent the night,” he said.
On October 17, at around 8:00 a.m., when returning from the elephant camp, 2 SAC soldiers were killed by mine at Thapyaypin Tone Loe Pyu village. At around 12:00 noon, a soldier was killed by sniper near Bottegone from Nyanlae village.
“After the SAC military came out by using elephants and elephant-keeper families as human shields from the elephant camp, they asked their (SAC) employees to avoid the minefields where we planted. They know because they are local, we also have CDM members from the elephant camps, otherwise the SAC troops will die in our mines,” said a company commander, Ko Khet Zaw.
Due to such an attack, the SAC military did not continue to leave to the side of Bottekone village and three soldiers were killed when the column which had patrolled towards Sangyi village, was again attacked with mines at the entrance of the village,” a Company Commander, Ko Khe Zaw, explained.
During these attacks, the PDF comrades were able to retreat without being harmed. It was reported that the SAC column retreated to Taung Nyo Police Station of Nattalin town at about 10 a.m. on October 18.