The People's Defense Force (PDF) for Kawlin ambushed vehicles carrying gold owned by Mandalay Chief Minister Maung Ko in Sagaing Region on Tuesday, June 29.

The civilian resistance group fired four rocket-propelled grenades at the 11 vehicle convoy protected by Burma Army soldiers when it approached marker AH-47 on the Myitkyina to Mandalay national highway at about 2 pm.

“We attacked the convoy at a sharp curve on the road...If our shells hit one of the vehicles, it would have tumbled into a ravine. They were lucky because we missed,” a member of the PDF told NMG.

According to the group, they carried out the attack after learning the convoy was transporting 37 visses (61kg) of solid gold from the Htawara gold refinery (aka Kyauk Patho), which is owned by Maung Ko. After the coup, the military council appointed the Union Solidarity and Development Party member as chief minister for Mandalay.

“We attacked the pillars of the military council. He is a crony and is very close to the council,” the PDF member said.

At press time, NMG couldn't confirm if any of the gold got damaged during the attack.

Following the incident, Burma Army tightened security at all bus terminals in the town of Kawlin and increased troops around Koe Htaung Boe area in the township.

Htawara gold refinery in Bant Bwe Kon village is the largest in the country.

There are three townships – Kawlin, Pinlaebu and Wontho – in Kawlin District established in 2019. The Mandalay to Myitkyina railway passes through Kawlin town, located about 24km from the Shwebo to Myitkyina highway and 64km from the town of Htee Chai.