Scores of Burma Army (BA) soldiers were killed during a two-day battle with the People’s Defence Force (PDF) Battalion 509 that erupted after the civilian resistance group destroyed a Mytel communications tower near Khe Moon village in Nawngkio Township, northern Shan State.

A civilian fighter told SHAN they killed nearly 50 BA soldiers, including a commander, from 13 to 14 March, while no one from his side died. He said after they targeted the tower in Nawngkio, which the regime was using to listen to their mobile phone calls, the BA started shelling them with artillery and gunfire. ”We attacked them with landmines and shot at them with assault rifles,” he said.

After suffering many casualties, the BA sent two fighter jets on the last day of the fighting, dropping 30 bombs and firing its cannons, the PDF fighter explained.

It is impossible for SHAN to independently confirm the death toll on either side.

A man from Nawngkio town, who requested anonymity, told SHAN, he heard explosions and gunfire on the first day of fighting. On the following day, he sighted the two fighter jets, which he assumed attacked the PDF, which is under the direct command of the interim National Unity Government (NUG). NUG was established by lawmakers who were ousted during the military coup about one year ago.