Following an attack on a military checkpoint at the top of Ayu Taung Village in northern Ye Township, Mon State, locals report that the military has tightened inspections and is indiscriminately firing heavy weapons.
On June 8, the Ye Blue resistance group launched an assault on a checkpoint stationed by soldiers from the military council’s No. 343 Light Infantry Battalion (LIB-343) at the summit of Ayu Taung Village.
In the evening after the attack, troops from LIB-343 and LIB-587 fired heavy artillery around three times, according to local sources.
A local resident said that military troops are guarding the entry and exit points of Ayu Taung Village and have intensified searches, questioning travelers and stopping passersby.
“More than 10 soldiers are stationed not only in front of the sawmill camp but also at other village entrances and exits. They stop people on the road, gather them in groups, and interrogate them. Those with ID cards are briefly questioned, but those without are subjected to lengthy checks. Even now, we can still hear gunfire near Ayu Taung,” the local said.
The Ye Blue group, which is actively operating in Ye Township, announced it would continue raiding and clearing military camps and checkpoints in the area and conduct further military operations. A leader of the group told Free Mon News Agency that local civilians should be cautious when traveling.
“We cleared the Ayu Taung camp yesterday. From our side, we’ve already warned that we’ll seize several camps in the coming days. The military operations will intensify. So, we want Mon civilians to be cautious when moving around,” the leader of the Ye Blue group stated.
Currently, in areas like Kon Du, Phaya Kone, Phaw Htaw, Kwan Thit Taw, and Ayu Taung under the Ayu Taung village tract, many fear further resistance attacks on military checkpoints. Soldiers reportedly are abandoning their posts and fleeing the camps.
The Ye Blue group has a record of targeting and clearing out military bases, police stations, and junta informants in Ye Township. It continues to conduct joint operations with other local resistance forces.
