A military officer and three soldiers were severely wounded when People’s Defense Forces (PDF) attacked military council troops stationed at a monastery in Sintalin village, Kaingtaw village tract, Letpadan Township, Bago Region. According to a spokesperson from the Shwetanmyay People’s Defense Force, the incident occurred around 2 AM on April 26, 2024, when PDF forces received intelligence about approximately 15 military council soldiers occupying the monastery grounds. The PDF forces proceeded to conduct a clearance operation targeting the military presence.
During the engagement, the military council troops were unable to maintain their position and fled to nearby villages. Three motorcycles used by the soldiers were damaged by gunfire. At dawn, when military reinforcements arrived to search the area, they found one captain and three soldiers who had been severely wounded in the attack. However, by this time, the PDF forces had already successfully withdrawn to their base, preventing any further confrontation with the reinforced military units. The damaged motorcycles were left behind at the scene, and no military equipment was seized during the operation.
The operation was jointly carried out by the Shwetanmyay People’s Defense Force and Moenyoe People’s Defense Force, both operating under the No. 1 Strike Force of the Thayarwady District People’s Defense Organization. All PDF members successfully withdrew from the area without sustaining any casualties. The PDF spokesperson noted that their forces face challenges in conducting operations with heavy weapons because the military council troops are using local civilians as human shields in the area. This tactical situation has forced the resistance forces to be more selective in their engagement methods to avoid civilian casualties. The spokesperson emphasized their commitment to protecting civilian lives while continuing their resistance against the military council’s presence in the region.
