Local residents report that the military council is conducting heavy artillery attacks on territories controlled by revolutionary forces in the Mandalay Region. Beginning around 4 PM on July 23, the military council launched continuous artillery strikes targeting Thanpinkone village in Mattaya Township, and Thayet Kaing and Myakantha villages in Patheingyi Township, which are currently under the control of the People’s Defense Force Mandalay (PDF-Mandalay) and allied forces.
The military council forces are conducting relentless artillery bombardment from their positions at Hteetawmu and Phaungdawoo hills, targeting the areas of Thayet Kaing and Myakantha. While there is no intense ground combat, local sources indicate that the military council’s indiscriminate shelling is driven by their fear of revolutionary forces advancing toward Hteetawmu and Phaungdawoo positions. These areas were captured by PDF-Mandalay and allied forces during their successful offensive operations on July 20.
During the previous battles, revolutionary forces captured 16 military council soldiers, including one captain, as prisoners of war. They also recovered 15 bodies of military council soldiers and seized a significant cache of weapons and ammunition. The military council’s aggressive artillery response appears to be motivated by their concern over losing control of the region, as they attempt to prevent further advances by revolutionary forces. The continuous bombardment represents the military council’s desperate attempts to maintain their weakening grip on the territory, while revolutionary forces continue to consolidate their positions in the newly liberated areas.
