Eight Burma army soldiers and two resistance fighters were killed in Kalay town of Sagaing Region on 15 March, according to a statement from the National Unity Government’s (NUG) Military region-1, which operates under the NUG’s Ministry of Defense.
On 16 March, the NUG’s Military region-1, reported that a combined force of resistance groups engaged in gunfire fights with Burma army and Pyusawhtee PMF troops in tow villages near Kalay town the day before.
On 15 March, resistance groups attacked the Burma army and Pyusawhtee PMF in Aung Myin Tha and Kyaung Taik villages.
Resistance groups attacked and seized Kyaung Taik village. The Burma army soldiers and Pyusawhtee PMF soldiers stationed at Kyaung Taik village retreated to Seltawgyi village and Aung Myin Tha village. After their retreat, a Burma army Mi-35 combat helicopter carried out two air attacks on resistance positions in Kyaung Taik village. Two resistance fighters were killed during the clash in Kyaung Taik village.
According to the Military region-1 report, during the 15 March clashes in Aung Myin Tha and Kyaung Taik resistance groups killed at least six Burma army soldiers including an officer, and injured at least five others. Resistance groups captured a MA-15 machine gun, a MA-10 RPG, 17 assault rifles, over 1300 pieces of ammunition, 10 grenades, and other military equipment from the Burma army.
Approximately 22 Burma army soldiers and 40 Pyusawhtee PMF soldiers led by captain Kyaw Lin Maung were stationed at Aung Myin Tha village. Approximately 27 Burma army soldiers and 59 Pyusawhtee PMF soldiers led by lieutenant Phyo Thant were stationed at Kyaung Taik village.
The combined force of resistance groups involved in the Aung Myin Tha and Kyaung Taik clashes included the PDF special task force battalion-2 and 6, Kalay District PDF battalions, CDF-KKG, RKDF, EFDF, HNB, Dawng Thwe Yazar group and Kalay District Urban Warfare.
Also on 15 March, a combined force of resistance groups jointly attacked a column of approximately 130 Burma army soldiers from Light Infantry Division 22 and Pyusawhtee PMF near Nang Saw Pu village. At the time of the attack the column was traveling to Kantha village.
The groups involved in the attack included the PDF special task force battalion-2 and 5, Kalay District PDF battalion-2, 4 and 5, Kalay District Drone Unit, Kalay township local PDF, RKDF, HNB, EFDF, Dawng Thwe Yazar group, S2UG, GRF, and TCDF.
During the clash near Nang Saw Pu village, resistance groups captured the dead bodies of a Burma army captain and lance corporal. Resistance groups seized two assault rifles, 17 pieces of ammunition and two magazines.
Elsewhere in Kalay Township, Burma army soldiers fired more than 200 shells including fire bombs into civilian villages around Kalay town despite no fighting happening in the targeted villages. The shelling reportedly caused some civilian causalities and burned some civilian houses, but Khonumthung News was not able to independently verify this information by time of publication.