Attacked By People's Defense Forces (PDF), At Least 50 Myanmar Military Regime Soldiers Killed In Kalay

JAKARTA - A civilian was shot and killed and two rescue workers who tried to retrieve his body were injured, when the People's Defense Forces (PDF) managed to kill dozens of soldiers from the Myanmar military regime, an eye witness said on Wednesday.

The bullets were fired by soldiers from a military convoy stationed near Sithar village south of the township, local residents said and landed in the nearby village of Natchaung.

"A man died," a witness who was among those who tried to retrieve the body told Myanmar Now as quoted November 5.

"They even fired another bullet at our car when we tried to go and retrieve his body. Two people in the front seat of our car were hit by shrapnel," the witness continued.

The injured people, who were part of a local social services group, were in stable condition, he added. Myanmar Now could not confirm the name of the man who died.

A second Natchaung resident said, citing witnesses, that Myanmar's military regime forces also raided the village and stole from its residents that same afternoon.

"They broke into the houses that run the sundries shop and took their belongings and money. They also took the oil from the oil shop and they took the speakers and batteries from our house," he said.

"We actually went back to the village to check and they are still there. They robbed every house they saw. They also took cell phones from cell phone shops," he said.

Thousands of local residents from the villages of Thazi, Natchaung, Natmyaung, Chaung Gwa and Heloke have been displaced in recent weeks by military attacks.

An spokesman for the Myanmar military regime could not be reached for comment.

On the morning the man was killed, PDF Kalay said he had killed at least 47 junta soldiers during an ambush on a Myanmar military convoy near Sithar.

A civilian and a PDF fighter were also killed in the clashes. In addition, four civilians were also injured in the clashes.

The day before, the group killed at least three soldiers in a similar landmine attack on a convoy of eight junta vehicles in the same area, he said.

Myanmar Now could not independently confirm the number of soldiers killed.

PDF Kalay said the military also raided Chaung Gwa on Wednesday night and burned three houses. Soldiers fired several shells near the village of Hakhalay that same night, the group added.

PDF has warned civilians not to travel through the southern part of Kalay, saying they should be prepared to flee if more fighting breaks out.

To note the people in Kalay were among the first ordinary civilians to take up arms against the junta after the February 1 coup, using rudimentary hunting rifles to launch guerrilla-style attacks against soldiers.

Meanwhile, the military regime has also ordered intense attacks recently in neighboring Chin where, as in Sagaing, armed resistance to its rule is strong.

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