2024-07-26 02:07:22
Nepita: The rebels have achieved a major success in the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. The rebels have claimed that they have captured a major regional military headquarters near the Chinese border. This is being considered a major defeat for the Myanmar Army, which has been struggling to stop the widespread insurgency for years. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) said it has captured the strategic city of Lashio in the northern Shan state, about 120 km (75 miles) from the Chinese border, after 23 days of fighting with government troops.
The rebels claimed possession
“Our forces have achieved a decisive victory and are now clearing the remaining enemy troops. The city has now been declared fully liberated,” the MNDAA said in a statement shared through its mouthpiece on social media. The statement urged people to remain calm and follow the city’s own administration. However, the group’s claim could not be independently verified and Myanmar’s military spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Myanmar is battling civil war
The MNDAA is one of several ethnic minority insurgent groups fighting to drive the military out of areas they consider their territory. The insurgents are involved in an armed resistance movement that has waged a nationwide campaign to undermine the junta’s rule. The conflict has now spiraled into a civil war that represents one of the biggest challenges for Myanmar’s well-equipped military in its five decades of rule. According to the United Nations, the civil war has displaced more than 2.6 million people in Myanmar.
Myanmar’s military staged a coup in 2021
Myanmar’s military returned to power in a coup in 2021 after a decade of temporary democracy. This has left the country of 53 million people fighting on multiple fronts. The war has brought Myanmar to the brink of destruction, but the army is not ready to give up and remains in power. The military junta has described its opponents as “terrorists” trying to destabilize the country. The MNDAA launched its latest offensive after the breakdown of a recent ceasefire brokered by China, which is concerned about the fighting on its border and its impact on trade.
China is supporting Myanmar’s army
China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged all parties to cease hostilities, engage in dialogue and ensure Chinese businesses and citizens are not harmed. “We will continue to encourage calm and press for dialogue,” spokesman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing. Online news outlet Myanmar Now confirmed the capture of the regional command headquarters in Lashio, citing a commander of another armed group fighting alongside the MNDAA.