The Information Team of the State Administration Council (SAC) yesterday announced that fighting took place in Htigyaing Township, Sagaing Region, causing deaths onboth sides, but the military regained control of the town.

The SAC also reported that the KIA and PDF members arrived in Htigyaing Township, Sagaing Region, on November 9 and extorted money from the villagers. Moreover, they arrested and killed the civilians, and then torched the departmental buildings and houses aiming to stop government’s administrative mechanism. They also planted mines in the town.

As the military columns carried out a counter-terrorism operation against the KIA and PDF members, fighting broke out in the town and then the military regained control of the town on November 12.

The security forces launched counter attacks on the KIA and PDF members in accordance with the Rules and Engagement aiming to protect the public lives and properties.

During the fighting, the KIA and PDF groups built bunkers by using sandbags in front of houses, religious and departmental buildings and schools and fired and attacked the military columns. And then, they planted the mines between residential buildings and monasteries and on communication routes and they left from the town.

So, the security forces are now continuing to carry out security operations around the town.

Some security forces were killed and injured during the clashes. The military also seized heavy weapons, small arms, ammunition bombs, some corpses and explosive accessories used in the operations.

 The residential houses and religious buildings in the town were damaged and the security forces carried out mine clearance, renovated the damaging schools and repaired the roads, according to SAC’s report.