At least five Burma Army (BA) soldiers perished and many were wounded during an hour-long skirmish that began after the Matupi Chinland Defence Force (CDF) ambushed them last week in the latest attack on a regime convoy bringing troops, equipment and rations from Mindat to Matupi.

The ambush occurred on Thursday at Milepost 87, just 15 miles from Matupi town.

The Matupi CDF spokesperson said they attacked the BA at 6:40am after the soldiers had left Milepost 87, where they’d spent the night. He said there were no casualties on his side.

At the time of going to press, Khonumthung News couldn’t independently confirm this information.

The CDF has raided the convoy of 80 vehicles, including two tanks, several times since it left Mindat on 25 March. The distance between the two towns is about 102 miles.

The spokesperson said BA Infantry Battalion 304 from Matupi travelled to escort the convoy to the town.

CDF killed at least 25 regime soldiers and wounded 20 others of the battalion near Old and New Chang Pyan between 31 March and 2 April. Two CDF fighters were also killed in the fighting on 2 March.

The CDF spokesperson said BA battalions in Matupi town indiscriminately shelled the Old Chang Pyan on the Mindat – Matupi road with artillery. In addition, BA soldiers torched a house at Milepost 77 and two houses in Ram Dim at Milepost 84.

“We heard that they burnt the bodies of the killed BA soldiers in the house at Milepost 77.”

The CDF expects clashes in the region to escalate when the convoy arrives in Matupi this week.