Tuesday, 15 June 2010 22:36 Mizzima News
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Karen rebel forces have launched three separate ambushes against junta troops – with unconfirmed reports of 14 Burmese Army soldiers killed, and 27 wounded – after intercepting radio communications and learning of Burmese military plans for an offensive against them, a militia spokesman said.
Karen National Liberation Army sixth brigade spokesman Captain Hte Nay said the KNLA launched the guerrilla strikes after listening in on messages between junta troops in their area and Military Operation Command (MOC) No. 8 in Tavoy Township, Tenasserim State.
“We realised their plans for a military offensive by listening to intercepted communication with our wireless sets, and heard instructions [from officers] for them [troops] to launch an attack against us,” Captain Hte Nay told Mizzima.
“We made pre-emptive strikes to contain their operations”, he said.
According to the intercepted messages, the junta would regroup its forces stationed in Kyarinnseikkyi Township, Karen State and attack the sixth brigade, the captain said.
With this intelligence in hand, KNLA troops closely monitored the movements of junta troop stationed along the periphery of the areas under their control and launched guerrilla attacks against junta troops.
In the latest attack yesterday, a KNLA three-man team from the 16th Battalion’s
B Company ambushed about 60 personnel from the first column of junta’s Light Infantry Battalion 284, seriously wounding three junta soldiers.
On June 10, Major Pho Tun and a KNLA private lobbed grenades into a truck carrying arms and ammunition, killing 13 soldiers and wounding 21 during an ambush in Thanphyuzayat Township. The junta troops from Light Infantry Battalions 401 and 409 under the command of No. 2 Strategic Command, MOC 8 were to relieve troops from battalions under No. 3 Strategic Command stationed in Kyarinnseikkyi.
The KNLA made another assault in the afternoon of the same day near Myaingtharyar village, killing a junta soldier and wounding another.
The three clashes this month resulted in a total of 14 State Peace and Development Council (junta) soldiers dead and 27 wounded, according to KNLA sources. No independent confirmation was available.
The Karen rebels suffered no casualties, which was attributable to their superior local knowledge, Captain Saw Hte Nay said.
“In these guerrilla attacks, we sent just two or three soldiers, who employed hit-and-run tactics. We have better knowledge [than SPDC troops] of the terrain in areas under our control,” he said.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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