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KARENNI STATE – As the junta council has sent reinforcements from Loikaw to Thaetaung in Demoso on Tuesday (August 15) morning, intense battles are expected to continue in the region, said a spokesperson of Loikaw PDF (People’s Defence Force).
Around 60 soldiers from the junta regional military operations command in Loikaw are said to have headed to Thaetaung in Demoso via the Union Highway in four military vehicles on Tuesday morning. “There were between 50 and 60 junta soldiers that left for Thaetaung from the regional military operations command,” confirmed the spokesperson.
In Thaetaung on August 2 morning, three junta column from Division 55 and 77, over 300 in strength, launched offensives but the attacks of the revolutionary forces dealt a heavy blow to the junta forces.
The junta council could have lost between 30 and 50 of their troops as well as a large number of weapons and ammunition in the battles of the past twelve days, which led them to send in more reinforcement, said a source close to Demoso PDF.
“We cannot confirm at present how many casualties the junta council suffered. But based on the number of reinforcement, we can estimate that they lost a similar number of troops,” said the source.
The junta council has lost control of several townships in Karenni State and are also facing difficulties transporting troops, weapons and rations due to the revolutionary forces controlling important routes.
In order to regain control of the situation, the junta council has been trying to regain important transport routes such as the Demoso-Hpruso-Loikaw-Pinlaung-Pekhon Road sections and the Union Highway.
Meanwhile, Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) said that the battles at Thaetaung region that has been ongoing for 13 days could continue due to junta reinforcement and has requested civilians to avoid visiting the region as well as the Dawnyinkhu-Hteeposo Road.