The Myingyan Black Tiger is local resistance force based in Yesagyo Township, Magway region, and they are operating in Magway and Sagaing regions.
They confronted ‘Belu company’ of the military’s Battalion 99 which is killing people defense forces brutally.
This interview with the leader of Myingyan Black Tiger, Mike Mike Khe, is about their military operations, armed clashes with Belu Company and their military strategies.
TLT: Could you introduce Myingyan Black Tiger?
Mike Mike Khe: We are local resistance force. Not under the management of Ministry of Defense. We are operating in our areas of central Myanamr. We have only homemade guns, and are fighting against the junta soldiers in our best. We could make grave threats against them.
TLT: How is the situation of conflicts in the operational areas of Myingyan Black Tiger?
Mike Mike Khe: We are operating in Mandalay, Magway and Sagaing. We mainly target Magway region. We cannot operate in Myingyan, Taungthar and Nahtogyi townships of Mandalay region regulary as we have not enough automatic machine guns and there is no favourable route for the operation. We carry out attacks on Chaung-U and Myaung townships in Sagaing region.
TLT: Could you talk about the fight with Belu Company of Battalion 99 of the military?
Mike Mike Khe: We fought against them on 16, 17 and 18 March. We have experienced many battles. Among them, strategies of Battalion 99 are quite impressive. They used the combined strategic approach of ‘Triangle and Zero’ format. Sometimes, they fought in ‘Zero’ strategic format only. They mostly used ‘Tide’ operation format in ethnic areas.
The junta troops commonly carry out attack between 3 and 5 am. We also conduct the attacks at time. However, the Belu Column launches surprised attack even in the daytime. It is quite difficult for us. We know their strategy and how to defend it. However, their armed power with automatic machine guns and RPGs is greater than us, while we are using only handmade guns. But they cannot set fire our villages. It is inciting our courage. They can kill us when we were captured. However, we cannot forgive them if they committed rape and set fire to the houses. We can burn our camps. We will do the same. We resisted them until 16 and 17 March. They burnt down the houses on 18 March, and that we turned into offensive attacks in which their office and 7 soldiers were killed. They buried the bodies. The Belu Company has good fighting skills. But they should not look down us.
TLT: How many troops does they have?
Mike Mike Khe: We knew that they came from Ayardaw. About 200 forces headed to Magway through Sagaing. Three to four soldiers were elderly persons. Almost all of them wore civilian clothes.
TLT: What are your difficulties in fighting against the Belu Column?
Mike Mike Khe: We did not have considerable loss. Two of our comrades were injured. They have recovered now. We killed seven soldiers. We lost our homemade RPGs and rocket launchers from our No.(1) Camp. So, our fighting power declined.
TLT: Which strategies did they use? What are the differences from others?
Mike Mike Khe: While other military columns carried out offensive attacks with the help of fire power from a long range, for example, from 100-meter, we can prepare for defensive attack. However, the Belu Column approached to us in ‘Triangle’ format before they surrounded us in ‘Zero’ format in close shot. In this circumstance, we have only two narrow options. We cannot avoid them, and we have to decide whether to fight back them and to retreat to a safe distance from the fighting. It was very difficult for us.
TLT: Could you talk about the ongoing military situations in this area now?
Mike Mike Khe: We have lesser manpower and no enough weapons. However, the junta troops suffered great causalities when they attacked the central Myanmar. We have full confidence because we have possessed lethal weapons to fight against the junta troops. We can now raise our challenge to them. We are defending our central Myanmar area. They should not look down us. They used fighter jets even for small battles where some of our comrades are using slingshots after they had no bullets. It has shown the military’s capacity.
TLT: What is your concluding remark for this interview?
Mike Mike Khe: We want to say Min Aung Hlaing to wage battles professionally. Don’t burn down the houses and don’t commit rape. We cannot forgive their arson attacks on houses and rape. The junta troops are going mad. They can fight against us. We will never flee away from here for counter attack, or we will carry out offensive attack. They should surrender if they have no confidence. But they must not target civilians with cunning and crafty manner.
