At least six soldiers and two police officers were killed in three shootings across Yangon yesterday, according to the insurgent fighting force affiliated with the civilian government in exile.
Three died when gunmen opened fire on 10 junta soldiers at about 11:30am at the Tason Police Station in Htantabin Township, leaving their bodies behind, according to the People’s Defense Force, or PDF.
Footage showed a gunman firing what looked to be a type of AR-15 assault rifle at close range from the back seat of a car.
The group said the attack was halted when a child approached, and the gunmen retreated to safety.
A half hour earlier, another three soldiers were shot dead in fighting at a military base near Thanlyin Bridge, which connects Yangon to Thanlyin city. The PDF’s Yangon Division Military Command claimed to kill two traffic police and wound others in another attack on a traffic police post near the National Races Village government tourist attraction, located near the bridge in Thaketa Township.
The attacks punctuate a rise in violence which has seen near daily bombings and assassinations on targets aligned with the security apparatus of the ruling junta. The PDF is loyal to the so-called National Unity Government, which is comprised of former civilian political leaders who want to unseat military rule.
Earlier, on Friday, the PDF took credit for killing 10 soldiers in attacks in Kunchan Gone and Kawhmu townships.
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