It is reported that the SAC troops are using to raid only Pyu Saw Htee force (militiamen under SA) in Kanbalu, Sagaing Region.
Since there are few soldiers in Kanbalu Township, the SAC Army is mainly using the Pyu Saw Htee force in attacks, an official from Infinity Group which is a local organization said.
He said, “If they go to clear the area, there are only a lot of Pyu troops but not many soldiers. Only Pyu troops die first in battles. They are not skilled in military operations. They are not skilled in the use of weapons as soon as they have to go to ground after training.”
There are only 15 soldiers in the column of 50 troops, and the rest are Pyu Saw Htee militiamen.
The local defense forces and KBL-UG force jointly attacked the Pyu camp based in Yaw village, Htangone Circle (larger than a Village Tract), Kanbalu Township at about 9:30 a.m. on October 21st. About 10 Pyu militiamen as guards were killed on the spot and many injured Pyu troops fled, Comrade Tat Toe who is a KBL-UG soldier said.
“There are soldiers in the base camp. Now there are more than 30 soldiers in the current base camp. There were about 20 troops who came out for ambush patrol. We met only the troops who came out for the ambush patrol, then the battle broke out. We didn’t go to the base camp where they were stationed. There are only 15 soldiers. The rest are just the Pyu militiamen,” he said.
The dead and injured Pyu Saw Httee militiamen were people who had no military experience and the injured were taken to the Kanbalu Town Public Hospital.
It is known that there are many Pyu militiamen who are joining the Pyu Saw Htee Force without spirit because of livelihood and fear.
“There are about 80 percent of Pyu troops who are spiritlessly joining Pyu Saw Htee force. They just can’t go against it,” said the Infinity Group official.
About 50 Pyu militiamen were killed in the battle that took place near Hnget Pyaw Taing Ywa Thit village, Kanbalu Township on October 9th. The dead militiamen were forced to join the Pyu Saw Htee Force by the SAC Army and Pyu Saw Htee leaders, the Infinity Group announced.
The number of soldiers and Pyu troops in Kanablu Township has not yet been confirmed. MPA cannot separately confirm the number of Pyu militiamen killed and injured in the October 21 battle.