2024-01-16 14:32:46
Image source: Reuters
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Davan Mrad Naing is acting as the commander of the demon army.
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Rebels operating in western Myanmar have announced that they have captured the main town of Paletwa from the army.
The city is located on one of the important roads between India and Myanmar and is close to the Indian border.
Attacks by ethnic insurgents against the military have increased in Myanmar since October last year.
Arakan Army is A.A. (AA – Arakan Army) is one of the three groups of insurgents. The group claims to have taken control of Balethwa town in Chin State.
In its telegram group, the organization stated that there is not a single Army Council camp in the entire town of Paletwa.
The Myanmar military has yet to respond to the claim.
In February 2021, the military overthrew the popularly elected government in Myanmar and seized power. Since then, there has been a civil war in Myanmar. Due to this lakhs of people have been displaced.
Image credit: Getty Images
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The whole of Myanmar can be traveled by road from the Chitwe Port area of Myanmar.
Palethwa near the Indian border
Paledwa city is located near the India-Bangladesh border. In such a situation, India also needs to keep an eye on this new insurgent movement.
A development project worth crores of dollars is being implemented in this city with the help of India. Under this scheme, connectivity facilities to remote areas are to be improved.
In May 2023, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister Admiral Dinh Aung San jointly inaugurated a new Chitway port under the Kaladan project.
Sarbananda Sonoval welcomed the first Indian cargo ship that started its journey from Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port.
The Kaladan Multimodal Project connects Kolkata Port with Myanmar’s Chitwe Port by sea.
Its advantage is that it connects Chitwe port with Kaladan, Paletwa with Indian border through Paletwa river and Myanmar by road from Langdlai, Mizoram.
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Rohingya refugees live in camps in Rakhine State.
A strengthening rebel hold
The group currently in control of Palethwa is a new group of AA rebels. The group also has a large number of weapons. Many armed ethnic groups are fighting the army in Myanmar.
These groups are also strengthening their hold in states like Rakhine and Chin.
Before the military came to power in 2021, AA militants had consolidated their position in Rakhine. Two years ago, these groups claimed to control 60% of the state.
A ceasefire was in place during the coup in 2021 and the army avoided clashes with the rebels. Thus he could focus his attention on the opponents of the coup.
However, in October last year, AA announced that it would join the anti-army struggle under the Brotherhood Alliance. declared.
After this, these AAs launched a series of attacks on the army.
In the past 11 weeks, Myanmar’s military has suffered humiliating defeats against this coalition of insurgents near the Chinese border.
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A camp in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar also houses hundreds of thousands of refugees from Myanmar.
42 days war in 2020
Last Saturday, Miwa, the last army post in Paledwa town, was also attacked by AA. brought under his control.
In 2020, A.A. made such efforts. But after 42 days of fighting, this place could not be reached.
By gaining control of this city, the rebels now have Kaladan under their control as well. Due to this, it can be said that these insurgents now control the road and water transport till the Indian border.
These rebels now have their own base. From there they could plan attacks in Rakhine state.
Losing any more towns in Rakhine State would be a huge loss for the Myanmar Army.
There are reports that the army may use airstrikes and helicopters to deal with these insurgents.
The military will try to prevent the AA from taking control of Kiogtwa. Because it is on the main road connecting Rakhine’s capital, Sittwe, to all of Myanmar.
However, it is not yet clear what the next step is for AA. It is believed that AA will try to maintain its lead and cut further losses.
An unstated goal of the insurgents would be to achieve some form of autonomy or independence within a federal framework. However, it seems that the rebel leadership has decided that this should be done under a newly elected regime rather than a military regime.
After the insurgents captured Paletwa, questions have been raised about whether the Myanmar military can regain its morale and motivate soldiers to fight the opposition.
Image credit: Getty Images
caption,
In February 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar after ousting a popularly elected government. Since then, there has been a civil war in Myanmar.
What worries India?
The rebel-held city is close to India.
510 km between India’s Mizoram province and Myanmar’s Chin province. There is a length limit.
However, people from both sides can easily move back and forth. 25 km in both directions. There is no barrier to travel up to.
In November last year, around 5,000 people displaced from Myanmar reached Mizoram state amid intense clashes between the Myanmar army and anti-military forces near the India-Myanmar border.
45 Myanmar soldiers also surrendered to the Mizoram police.
After the military coup in Myanmar, many people came to India after being caught up in the violence between the army and the rebels.
According to data up to March 2022, about 31,500 refugees from Myanmar have come and settled in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl and other districts. They are all from Chin province.
The town of Paletwa, now captured by the rebels, belongs to this province of Chin.
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