According to revolutionary news sources, a junta helicopter that was visiting the 355th Light Infantry Battalion in Thingannyinaung Village, Myawaddy Township, Karen State, was shot down. Brigadier General Aye Minnaung, the commander of the 44th Division, was seriously injured, and about five junta troops were killed.
On the afternoon of January 29th, the two helicopters that came to inspect the Battalion were fired upon by the Cobra Column with large and small weapons such as missiles, M2 Browning guns, snipers, and drones, and the pilot of one of the helicopters was hit and the helicopter crashed, an official of the Southern Military Region PDF said.
“The Cobra column shot down two junta helicopters with various weapons. A Eurocopter-type helicopter that is used by junta chiefs crashed, and Brigadier General Aye Min Naung, the commander of the 44th Division, was seriously injured. He is almost dying. It was initially known that about five people had died. The details are still being investigated,” he explained.
It is reported that it is conducting rescue operations at the helicopter crash site, and MPA is still investigating the details.
“Drones, missiles, M2 Browning guns, and other snipers were all fired. We are not sure which one hit with,” said a PDF soldier on the front line.
The Eurocopter 365 military helicopter shot down by the Cobra Column is worth nearly 9 million dollars and started entering the Air Force on December 15, 2021.
MPA has not independently confirmed the deaths of the soldiers in relation to this incident.