By Ko Paing / MPA
In Monywa Township, Sagaing Region, military trucks carrying reinforcements and junta soldiers left to clear mines were assaulted, reportedly killing ten soldiers and injuring three others.
On September 19, around 11:30 AM, two military trucks carrying reinforcements to Chaung-U were hit by landmines along the Monywa-Mandalay road following another attack targeted mine-clearing soldiers on two vehicles left from Ma-U Checkpoint in Monywa Township, according to the report of Monywa District Battalion 4 (Chindwin Attack Force) on September 20.
“The landmines hit both military trucks carrying reinforcements to Chaung-U. We believe they were damaged as the vehicles didn’t continue to Chaung-U but instead returned straight to Monywa. They didn’t even stop at Ma-U Checkpoint, which they usually do. After a while, we launched a mine attack on the mine-clearing soldiers who were moving from Ma-U,” said the information officer from Monywa District Battalion 4 to MPA.
The military vehicles reportedly turned back toward Monywa, carrying the injured soldiers and bodies.
“After mines hit the truck carrying reinforcements, about 15 minutes later, the mine-clearing vehicles came out from Ma-U Checkpoint. We launched another attack, killing ten soldiers and injuring others. Though they fired back, none of us were harmed,” the source added.
The operation was carried out by Battalion 4 (Chindwin Attack Force), the special commando group (Monywa The Boys) and Company-2 5/ Commando Force of the Monywa District People’s Defense Force, Democratic Guerrilla Force (D.G.F), and Barmahti Guerrilla Force, and Yinmarbin District Battalion 9 idols Colum.
MPA could not independently verify the number of casualties of the junta soldiers.