Burmese soldiers killed in ambushes

DVB (August 22,2003)

A KNPP (Karenni National Progressive Party) guerrilla group ambushed a convoy of an army battalion based at Mawchi in Kayah State on 16 August. Five SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) soldiers were killed and four were seriously wounded.

DVB correspondent Naw Nanda Chan filed this report.

Naw Nanda Chan : A KNPP guerrilla group ambushed an SPDC convoy from LIB (Light Infantry Battalion) No 42 led by Col Soe Myint Aung returning from inspecting forward units. The SPDC troops numbered over 30 and the skirmish lasted over 10 minutes. The SPDC troops suffered five dead and four seriously wounded while the KNPP suffered no loss. KNPP General Secretary U Raimond Htoo said the following:

Raimond Htoo : Our troops ambushed the battalion commander and his party that have returned from inspecting the forwards troops in Mawchi region. Our guerrilla group normally consists of between five and 10 troops so the casualty rate is very low. We suffered no loss in this ambush. Since we have adopted this tactic in our guerrilla warfare, our casualties have been very low.

Similarly, Maj Hla Thwin-led second column of SPDC LIB No 431 was ambushed yesterday somewhere in the forests near Thephyu Village in Tenasserim Township, Tenasserim Division, by the KNU (Karen National Union) troops and the Mon armed group from the Than Nyunt faction. One SPDC lance corporal was killed and two soldiers were seriously wounded.

When a company led by Lt-Col Thein Htaik Oo came to the area for a mopping up operation, another ambush took place that lasted about an hour. Two more SPDC soldiers including a corporal were killed while another four soldiers were seriously wounded. (BBC Monitoring Service)