At least 20 Burma Army (BA) soldiers perished during two days of fierce clashes in southern Kalay Township with the Kalay People’s Defence Force (PDF) and other resistance groups.

According to the Kalay PDF,the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) for Kalay, Kabaw and Gangaw, the Ranger Kalay Defence Force, the Zomi PDF and the local PDF branch started fighting with regime troops on the morning of 2 May and continued until the afternoon of the next day after the BA column entered Shar Hpo.

“The clashes between Shar Hpo and Aung Mingalar intensified on 2 May to the extent that two attack helicopters flew two airstrikes on the civilian resistance groups near Shar Hpo,” said Victor, the Kalay PDF spokesperson.

During the clashes, one CDF fighter was injured by shrapnel.

According to the spokesperson, they captured 2 MA-1 assault rifles, 2 MA-2 machine guns, 10 magazines, 150 rounds of ammunition, a landmine, a grenade and 2 mobile phones from the BA. They also shot down a combat drone.

BA shelling killed two male villagers and a woman in Shar Hpo. The regime forces also torched many houses in the village, which has a total of 500.

In Ashay Si, they burnt down all the houses except the Buddhist monastery and the school on 1 May.