Resistance forces have announced the capture of Saingpyin Town in Tabayin Township, Sagaing Region.

The People’s Defence Force (PDF) said on May 18 that the town was seized during Operation OTT, conducted under the command of the PDF’s Shwebo District Command, and that its forces are now deployed in the area.

The PDF launched an attack on the regional police station in Saingpyin on May 14 and announced that it had taken control of both the facility and the town by May 16.

According to the statement, around 60 PDF fighters were deployed during the three days of fighting, resulting in 10 junta troops and police personnel killed, while weapons and ammunition were also seized.

After destroying buildings, bunkers, and minefields at the police station, the resistance forces withdrew from the area.

The resistance forces also issued guidelines for displaced residents returning to the area, outlining what they should and should not do upon their return.

The PDF also admitted that its fighters took food and other items from locals’ homes while they were sheltering from junta airstrikes during the clashes, adding that it would compensate those affected.

Saingpyin lies only a few miles from the junta’s Northwest Region Military Command headquarters. The PDF has also warned of possible airstrikes and ground offensives targeting the town following its capture by resistance forces.

Saingpyin was upgraded from village to town status in 2018. It has around 2,500 households and a population of more than 9,000.