By Nway / MPA 

A short-range rocket attack on the Southern Regional Military Command in Taungoo, Bago Region, immediately killed five soldiers and injured four others, according to reports. 

Around 3:30 AM on October 5, resistance forces launched a short-range rocket attack on the Southern Regional Military Command (Ta Pa Kha), using five 107mm rockets, four of the rockets successfully hitting the target, according to a statement by Brave Warriors for Myanmar (BWM).

“We are informed that four shells landed in the middle of the Ta Pa Kha. Preliminary investigations suggest that they hit the officer’s residence and the guard post. The five deaths were immediate, and it’s unclear whether anyone was evacuated for medical treatment, as there wasn’t enough time,” a source from the Brave Warriors for Myanmar (BWM) told MPA.

Surveillance drones were launched for a search operation following the attack, but PDF members were able to retreat successfully. 

“There was no immediate retaliation with heavy artillery. They might think our comrades were in the middle of an encirclement, so I believe they had concerns that the shells might land on their forces if they fire back,” the source continued.

The Southern Regional Military Command is one of the key military commands supervising and ordering attacks against revolutionary forces in the Bago Region and Karen State. It was reported by the Brave Warriors for Myanmar (BWM) that over 100 drones had arrived at the command, leading to the decision to launch the attack.

“The drones have reportedly been there since September. We suspect they are primarily intended for use against the revolutionary forces in the Southern Region. As far as we know, they are still stationed within the camp,” the source added.

The attack was launched under the leadership of the Brave Warriors for Myanmar (BWM) in coordination with the NSA31 Urban Guerrilla Force and the Sittaung River Basin Yedashe Joint Mission Group.

MPA could not independently verify the casualties among the soldiers.