Local defence forces raided a military camp on Tarwartaing Hill near to the Yargyi to Kalewa motorway in Sagaing Region’s Kani Township at about 7:40 a.m. on 17 April, according to Yinmarbin District People’s Defence Force (PDF).

“We planned to seize the camp within 20 minutes. About 20 military soldiers, including two majors, were killed and five were injured. We lost one PDF member and 16 were injured including two who are in a critical condition. We set fire to the military camp”, said a Yinmarbin District PDF commander.

The PDF also seized three MA-2, five MA-3, one MA-4, and eight MA magazines, 9,380 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, one 60-mm mortar round, 50 60mm mortar rounds, 57 40mm mortar rounds, 56 grenades, 10 Claymore mines, 29 landmines, 37 grenade detonators, 45 mine detonators, two sets of body armour, and 110 million kyats, from the camp.

It is an important part of the junta’s Northwestern Military Command communication network.

After the raid, the junta used an Mi-17 helicopter to bring in 50 more soldiers to reinforce the base and to take back the bodies of the killed soldiers to the Northwestern Military Command base.