The National Unity Government (NUG) Ministry of Defence announced that at least 30 junta soldiers were killed when people’s defence forces (PDFs) attacked their convoy near Yinke Village in Magway Region’s Gangaw District, on 18 July.

The NUG said that five PDF fighters were also killed in the fighting.

The junta convoy was heading towards Kyindwe Village, in neighbouring Chin State’s Kanpetlet Township after having left Laungshey Village, in Magway Region’s Saw Township on the morning of 18 July.

Before the convoy could reach its destination, the defence forces launched a close-quarters rocket attack on the convoy at around 7:00 a.m. near to Yinke Village, also in Saw Township. After the defence forces retreated there was a second round of fighting later that evening.

“Fierce fighting occurred twice during the day. The first time it happened at around 7:00 a.m. and there was a second lot of fighting in the evening. State Administration Council (SAC) soldiers were seriously injured, so they bombed nearby villages”, said a soldier from the Kanpetlet Chin Defence Force (CDF) who took part in the fighting.

During the fighting two junta jets launched random airstrikes in the area of the fighting.

The PDFs involved in the attack were the Gangaw District Battalion 3, Gangaw District Battalion 4, Gangaw District Battalion 5, Magway District Battalion 1, Minbu District Battalion 1, Minbu District Battalion 3, Minbu District Battalion 4, Salin PDF, and CDF Kawnu.