A spokesperson from the Duraka Column has confirmed that two military council soldiers were killed when resistance forces attacked troops who were illegally collecting money from civilian travelers in Maungmayshaung village, Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region. The incident occurred around 3 PM on March 22nd when military council forces, who had set up a temporary post at the entrance of the Shin Dhat Wae Pagoda in Maungmayshaung village, were extorting money from passing civilians.
The attack was jointly carried out by the Dawei National Liberation Army (DNLA)’s Duraka Column and the Yebyu People’s Defense Force (YPPDF). The engagement lasted over an hour, with approximately 25 military council personnel present at the location. Following the clash, the military council forces retreated from their temporary position. The resistance forces reported no casualties on their side during the operation. A representative from the Duraka Column detailed that the military council forces had been systematically extorting money from civilians traveling through the area before the attack took place.
As military operations intensify across the country, local residents are advised to exercise extreme caution in their daily movements. The resistance forces have also issued calls for military council soldiers and police force members to defect to the people’s side as the momentum of the revolution continues to build. The resistance forces state that such operations are part of their ongoing efforts to counter the military council’s oppression of civilians. This incident represents another example of growing resistance against the military council’s illegal activities and their exploitation of civilian populations throughout Myanmar.
