A senior official from Myingyan District Battalion 3 has confirmed that resistance forces launched an offensive against the military council camp in Thanaungkone village, Thaung Tha Township, Mandalay Region, where the military council provided ground and air support to rescue trapped soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members. The battle began on May 15 and lasted for three days.
The offensive began around 6 AM on May 15, when revolutionary forces attacked the Pyu Saw Htee camp in Thanaungkone village, first destroying the entrance bunker with RPG-7 heavy weapons. They then continued to attack successive bunkers where soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members were stationed, forcing them to retreat to the two-story house of Pyu Saw Htee leader Htoo Aung. At this point, the military council launched airstrikes using jet fighters, with a 500-pound bomb hitting the building where resistance forces had taken cover. This airstrike resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to six members of Myingyan District Battalion 3.
Fighting continued on May 16, with resistance forces surrounding Htoo Aung’s residence while the military council launched additional attacks using Mi-35 attack helicopters and Y-12 aircraft. These strikes caused injuries to four more members of Myingyan District Battalion 3, forcing them to withdraw during the night due to the intensity of the air attacks. The trapped soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members had laid various types of mines, including anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines, and trip mines along their escape routes.
In the final phase of the battle, resistance forces were unable to approach Pyu Saw Htee leader Htoo Aung’s house closer than 100 meters due to the defensive measures in place. At this point, they encountered a military council column from Myingyan led by Thida Yu Mon, resulting in direct combat. Htoo Aung and the trapped soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members managed to escape with Thida Yu Mon’s column, prompting the resistance forces to withdraw. Throughout the three-day battle period, the military council conducted a total of 14 airstrikes, resulting in injuries to 10 resistance fighters. Myingyan District Battalion 3 has issued a statement indicating that they expended significant ammunition and explosives during the battle and require resupply.
