SAGAING DIVISION – The Mi35 attack helicopter of the terrorist junta council that came to attack the villages in Chatthin of Kanbalu Township was hit by gunfire from a point five heavy machine gun and had to make an emergency landing in heavy artillery battalion 6006, according to Mr. San Tun, the news and information officer for Kanbalu Township.
On Thursday (February 8) around 2:20 p.m., while the junta Mi35 chopper was circling around and opening fire at four villages in Chatthin, the People’s Defence Forces shot at it using a point five heavy machine gun, managing to land a hit on the chopper which shakily flew over to make an emergency landing in heavy artillery battalion 6006.
“It’s true that we managed to hit (the junta chopper). It was hit pretty badly. It still can’t take off after shakily landing at around 2:20 p.m. and is still under repair. It landed in Kanbalu heavy artillery battalion 6006. It was a Mi35 attack helicopter. It was opening fire on the villages in Chatthin when we shot at it with point five (machine gun) and hit it. We heard that the rear part broke off. That’s why they are bombing with a grudge,” said Mr. San Tun, the news and information officer for Kanbalu Township.
The fighting is intense in Chatthin of Kanbalu between the People’s Defence Forces and the terrorist junta council and the latter is reported to have set up two howitzer cannons between Pekone and Chaungphyar while also attacking from the air using fighter jets and helicopters. It is said that a junta jet that took off from Namhsan Air Base bombed the area of Chatthin at around 6 p.m. on February 8 then landed at Mandalay Tada U Airport.
“The battle is still intense. It’s just going on with short breaks in between. They would come and attack with fighter (jets) then helicopters and we would fall back a bit. We can’t move in too fast yet. The battle is currently only in the area of Chatthin. They have set up two howitzer (cannons) between Pekone and Chaungphyar and fired at least 30 rounds. They are also attacking from the air daily so we can’t approach too closely yet,” explained Mr. San Tun.
It is also reported that the local civilians managed to evade in advance after hearing of junta offensives and there have been no civilian casualties.