A military column searching for mines on the Monywa-Mandalay highway in Sagaing Region’s Monywa Township was attacked by resistance forces, resulting in injuries to four members of the military-affiliated Pyu Saw Htee group, according to a representative from the Monywa Dynamite Special Task Force. The incident occurred on August 24 when soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members from Tawpu Pyu Saw Htee village were conducting mine-clearing operations along the Monywa-Mandalay road section when resistance forces launched an attack using three Padaytha mines.
During the attack, four Pyu Saw Htee members were wounded, with one sustaining severe injuries, as confirmed by the Monywa Dynamite official. Following the attack, the military forces, continuing their typical pattern of civilian exploitation, forcibly detained traveling civilians and compelled them to participate in mine-clearing operations as porters. Due to this use of civilians as human shields, the resistance forces were forced to halt further attacks and withdraw from the area to prevent civilian casualties. The military’s actions demonstrate their ongoing practice of putting civilian lives at risk by forcing them into dangerous military operations.
The joint operation, carried out by the Monywa Dynamite Special Task Force and the Chindwin Fighter Group, was successfully executed with no casualties among the resistance fighters, who managed to safely withdraw from the area. The resistance forces had initially planned to detonate explosives at two additional locations but suspended these plans due to concerns about civilian safety, as explained by the operation’s spokesperson. The resistance groups have also issued warnings to local residents, emphasizing the importance of maintaining military awareness and security consciousness in the area. This incident highlights the ongoing conflict between resistance forces working to protect civilian interests and military forces that continue to endanger civilian lives through their tactical operations.
