By Hlaing / MPA
After an attack on a military junta column along the Pyay-Paukkhaung Road in Myanmar’s Western Bago Region, the junta responded by cutting off internet access and carrying out raids, according to local sources.
The No.3601 Battalion of People Defense Force – Pyay District (PDF-Pyay) announced that nine junta soldiers were killed during ambush on two military vehicles on Pyay-Paukkhaung Road, Zin Wa Mountain Range, Paukkhaung Township at around 6 p.m on Tuesday.
Following the ambush, the military junta conducted raids in nearby villages and launched airstrikes using paramotors causing over 5000 locals to flee.
An official from Pyay Underground News(PUGN) told MPA, “These attacks were retaliation of the junta for the battle on Tuesday. It seems like they suffered heavy casualties. There would be over 5000 displaced civilians.”
Additionally, the military junta bombed Aing Sauk Village in Paukkhaung Township using a paramotor at around 10:30 p.m on Wednesday. 50-years-old Daw San Yi from Aing Sauk Village was killed while 38-years-old U Aung Myo Win (Phoe Pyar) and 12-years-old Ma Shune Lae Wai were injured during the airstrike. The injured were prohibited by the military junta from receiving necessary treatments till now.
A 25-years-old man from pyay said that the junta forces of 150 troops and two armored vehicles have been stationed in Aik Sauk village, Paukkaung Township since Thursday and conducting targeted artillery strikes in nearby villages, including Kyoet Pin , Myauk Kan Ka Lay, Nat Ta Lin, Thit Yaung Pyan, Tha Hpan Kaing, Thaik Chaung,Kyoet Pin Waing, and Bawdikone.
He said, “They started firing artillery from 7 a.m on Friday till 3 p.m. Some houses in Kyoet Pin Waing, and Bawdikone villages were on fire. No one dares to stay in villages due to artillery strikes.”
A Local who knows the ground situation said that junta troops were planting landmines around Kyoet Pin Waing village, Paukkhaung Township starting from the afternoon of Friday.
A local woman from Paukkhaung Township said that the security checks were tightern along Pyay-Paukkhaung Road. The military junta also cut off internet access in some villages near clashes and some villages near Bago Mountain Range.
She said, “ Security checks were tightern at the entrances and exits of towns. Nearly ten military vehicles advanced from Pyay town to Paukkhaung Township. Villages near Bago Mountain Range were lost in contact due to internet cut off. I heard that they are also fleeing.”
Pyay District consists of Pyay, Paukkhaung, Padaung and Shwe Taung Townships. Paukkhaung Township located near Bago Mountain Range.
Pyay District is home to several military facilities, including the Pyay Regional Operations Command (ROC), hand grenade and sponge bomb factories, light infantry battalions, and gunpowder factories in Okshitpin (Ka Pa Sa-16), Kamyaung gunpowder factories (Ka Pa Sa-5), Defense Industry near Padaung Township’s Sin Tae village (Ka Pa Sa-3), Defense Industry near Daung Taik and Pe Gyi villages (Ka Pa Sa-5), Iron Smelting Factory in Nyaung Khay Htauk village ( Ka Pa Sa-6), Pyay-based Defense Industry (Ka Pa Sa-7), Ammunations Factory in Kyauk Hpu village ( Ka Pa Sa-9), and Defense Industry near Paukkaung Township (Ka Pa Sa-19).
Clashes have been ongoing in the western part of Bago Region, bordering Rakhine State since August, 2024. Locals are concerned that the Arakan Army (AA) and allied revolutionary forces may launch an offensive through the Bago Mountain Range into Pyay.
Currently, clashes are taking place within the Bago Mountain Range. The military junta has been using heavy artillery and airstrikes on wards and villages unrelated to the fighting, resulting in civilian casualties.
