Twenty military council soldiers were killed in an ambush attack on the military council troop which withdrew from the Pantain outpost in Mese to Hpasawng in Karenni State, Colonel Phone Naing, Military Chief of the Karenni Army (KA) said.
ÒWe ambushed the troop which withdrew from Pantain on 25 November. We carried out an area clearance operation on 27 November. We found 20 bodies of the soldiers killed in the ambush and 20 backpacks, Colonel Phone Naing added.
The retreating troops were the 512 Battalion under the 55 Division. On 27 November, we found 20 bodies of the military council soldiers. One soldier was captured alive, and the weapons and ammunition were also seized, Colonel Phone Naing said.
“There are no more enemies on the east bank of the Thanlwin River in Mese. There is still an enemy on the west bank of the Thanlwin River on Hpasawng. The soldiers who escaped from the military column that were ambushed during the retreat have reached Light Infantry Battalion-134 and 135 in Hpasawng. The retreating enemy will remain there,” Colonel Phone Naing continued.
The ambush was jointly carried out by the Karenni Army (KA), Karenni National People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF), Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and People’s Defense Force (PDF).
On 7 November, the joint revolutionary force captured the Pantain outpost in Mese. More than 10 military council soldiers and two members of the KA were killed in the battle.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times