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Arakan Army Attacking Myanmar Junta Outposts at Gateway to Magwe Region. The ethnic Arakan Army (AA) and allies have launched an assault on Myanmar junta outposts guarding an artillery base on the Ann-Padan road linking Rakhine State with neighboring Magwe Region, fighting broke out on Saturday at outposts in two Arakan Mountain villages close to Goggyi, located just 32 km from Padan in Magwe’s Ngape Township. The Myanmar military outposts guard Nat Yay Kan artillery base. AA-led forces must defeat them to advance from Ann to Padan town, the regime has used airstrikes in response to the assault,” said a local source.

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Since military coup on Feb. 1, 2021, the revolution began with peaceful demonstrations has escalated into a full-blown armed struggle, now about to end its fourth year. The landscape of Myanmar’s conflict has dramatically changed since then. Coup makers’ State Administration Council (SAC) has been losing territory to various ethnic groups and resistance forces.

Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Govt (NUG) recently claimed, in a military progress report, that its People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) & allied ethnic revolutionary organizations (EROs) had effective control of more than half of country by end of 2024. The NUG said 44% of the country’s townships are under those groups’ full control while 24& are highly contested & influenced by resistance forces, means less that 1/3 of country remains under the control of the SAC.

To be fair, majority of the territory described by NUG is in the hands of EROs. Although EROs have gained significant ground, many are still focusing on their ethnic causes—most importantly, gaining a form of autonomy. But larger question remains: With their increasing influence over newly formed resistance groups & respect they have earned from large swaths of Myanmar, will they play a role in changing the central govt? Will they able to move beyond a traditionally narrow ethnocentric approach? What decisive role do ethnic armed players want to play? In short, who dares to be the kingmaker for a future democratic Myanmar?.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/guest-...maker.html

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Myanmar Junta Frantically Bolsters Defenses Near Ayeyarwady Beach Town. The junta is deploying large numbers of troops to Ayeyarwady Region’s beach resort areas in an attempt to establish defensive lines following Arakan Army (AA)’s recent move into Shwe Thaung Yan on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, according to residents and sources close to the regime’s military.

Combined forces of the AA and local resistance groups in Ayeyarwady Region launched attacks on junta soldiers and police stationed in Magyizin Village in Shwe Thaung Yan earlier this month. Clashes were reported in Magyizin, Kalarchaung, Wat Thay and Bomie villages until Jan. 10. Since then, there has been no further fighting, according to local residents

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Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) has announced a crackdown following abduction of Chinese celebrities as forced labor for scam compounds in areas under its control on Myanmar-Thai border, announcement came during emergency meeting in Karen State’s Myawaddy on Wed
between BGF, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) & local Chinese businessmen.
Meeting led by BGF leader Colonel Saw Chit Thu, known for his close ties to Myanmar junta & his oversight of gambling & scam op in Myawaddy border area. Participating is DKBA commander Colonel Saw San Aung and around 60 local Chinese businesspeople, according to local media.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...e_vignette

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IA Hunting Down Retreating Myanmar Junta Troops January 16, 2025.

The Kachin Independence Army and its allies are reporting large numbers of regime casualties as its defeated troops abandon Mansi Township in Kachin State

[Gemstar]

IA Hunting Down Retreating Myanmar Junta Troops January 16, 2025.

The Kachin Independence Army and its allies are reporting large numbers of regime casualties as its defeated troops abandon Mansi Township in Kachin State

The military junta army cannot win a land war against the rebels. The rebels forces are very well trained to fight a land war. Using air raids against rebel forces cannot be won. Only killing those innocent civilians.

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The military junta army cannot win a land war against the rebels. The rebels forces are very well trained to fight a land war. Using air raids against rebel forces cannot be won. Only killing those innocent civilians.

YANGON (Reuters): Myanmar's electricity generation has dropped to about half the normal figure, as rebels have damaged critical transmission networks, causing lengthy blackouts in wide swathes of the South Asian nation, state media said on Friday. Natural gas shortages in the war-torn nation have also helped take production down to just 2,200 MW a day, from the usual figure of 4,000 megawatt (MW), they added. It was a rare admission  junta's inability to manage critical infrastructure nearly four years after the powerful military ousted an elected civilian government, triggering a civil war that has engulfed the impoverished nation.

"Currently, electricity is being supplied to Yangon region at 48%, Mandalay region at 17% and the rest, including Naypyidaw, at 35%," the Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper said, referring to the two main urban areas & the capital. Power cuts have worsened this year in the commercial capital of Yangon, with supply limited to four-hour blocks, followed by eight-hour shutdowns, in a plan the power ministry unveiled last week.

"We need to schedule cooking & washing at specific times," said Aung, a 33-year-old resident of the city, Myanmar's largest home to 7.3m. "We can't sleep well because there is no power and phone connections don't work well because mobile telephone towers always experience black outs," added Aung, who gave only his first name, out of concern for his security.https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/ase...wer-crisis

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China and Thailand detain 12 crime ring members suspected of trafficking actor to Myanmar. News of the joint crime-fighting effort comes after top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urges Asean countries to crack down on cross-border fraud.

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Thailand’s stance that there can be many ways to achieve that goal. And we believe that there’s no one-size-fits-all,” he told FMT.“ As long as we can come to a peaceful and unified Myanmar through a Myanmar-led, Myanmar-owned solution, Thailand is willing to help every Asean chair thus far.” Asean adopted its five-point plan in April 2021 following a military coup in Myanmar but has struggled to achieve its goals, such as ending violence, holding peace talks, and appointing a special envoy.

Balankura also highlighted the importance of expanding dialogues beyond the military junta currently in control of Myanmar. “Thailand’s stance … we are open. We are open to more involvement with all parties in Myanmar,” he said, adding that a broader and inclusive dialogue might yield better results. Thailand has played an active role by hosting informal meetings outside the Asean format involving the past, present, and future Asean chairs.

However, analysts quoted by South China Morning Post said that key stakeholders such as Myanmar’s national unity government and ethnic groups have been excluded from the dialogue. In November, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suggested that Asean might need to “carve out” Myanmar from the Asean process to avoid the country’s problems from blocking Asean’s progress. The Philippines will take over the Asean chair next year instead of Myanmar

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Who think???. See below for news 
Stop the violence’: ASEAN tells Myanmar to prioritise peace over holding elections, says bloc chair Malaysia

Malaysia has appointed a new ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar to try and implement the regional bloc’s stalled peace plan for the war-torn country.

LANGKAWI: The priority of Myanmar’s military govt should be to reinstate peace & not hold elections that would further foster divisions in the war-torn country, said Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan on Sunday (Jan 19).

Mohamad was speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, where the bloc also discussed closer integration amid heightened geopolitical risks. Malaysia is the 2025 ASEAN chair.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/ase...oy-4877046

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Who think???. See below for news 
Stop the violence’: ASEAN tells Myanmar to prioritise peace over holding elections, says bloc chair Malaysia

Malaysia has appointed a new ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar to try and implement the regional bloc’s stalled peace plan for the war-torn country.

LANGKAWI: The priority of Myanmar’s military govt should be to reinstate peace & not hold elections that would further foster divisions in the war-torn country, said Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan on Sunday (Jan 19).

Mohamad was speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, where the bloc also discussed closer integration amid heightened geopolitical risks. Malaysia is the 2025 ASEAN chair.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/ase...oy-4877046

“We should carve Myanmar out for now, and I don’t think the Myanmar issue should frustrate our moves. It would be ideal if we could have just a strong consensus in giving a strong message to the Myanmar regime,” he reportedly said during an official visit to Thailand.


A NEW ASEAN ENVOY TO MYANMAR
Nearly four years since Myanmar was thrust into chaos following a military coup, the situation remains unstable as the junta battles ethnic minority armed groups for control of territory.

A peace effort by ASEAN known as the five-point consensus has made scant progress since its unveiling in April 2021, despite repeated calls for dialogue.

Mohamad said on Sunday that Malaysia has appointed former Malaysian diplomat Othman Hashim as ASEAN’s special envoy on the crisis in Myanmar.

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Who think???. See below for news 
Stop the violence’: ASEAN tells Myanmar to prioritise peace over holding elections, says bloc chair Malaysia

Malaysia has appointed a new ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar to try and implement the regional bloc’s stalled peace plan for the war-torn country.

LANGKAWI: The priority of Myanmar’s military govt should be to reinstate peace & not hold elections that would further foster divisions in the war-torn country, said Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan on Sunday (Jan 19).

Mohamad was speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, where the bloc also discussed closer integration amid heightened geopolitical risks. Malaysia is the 2025 ASEAN chair.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/ase...oy-4877046

A NEW ASEAN ENVOY MYANMAR: Mohamad said Othman would visit Myanmar "soon".

Former Malaysian diplomat Othman Hashim, appointed as ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia, Jan 19, 2025.

Othman is the former secretary general of Malaysia's foreign ministry and was selected by Malaysia to try and implement ASEAN's peace plan in Myanmar. He is ASEAN’s fifth special envoy to Myanmar since the conflict started in 2021.

ASEAN continues to bar the junta leadership from its summits over their failure to comply with the peace plan they had initially agreed to, which has vexed the bloc's most prominent countries.

Despite being battered on multiple frontlines, contending with a collapsing economy and dozens of political parties banned, the junta is pushing to hold an election in 2025 - an exercise widely derided by critics as a sham.

FACILITATING TIMOR-LESTE’S ACCESSION...During press conference, Mohamad added that ASEAN foreign ministers welcomed Timor-Leste’s progress in implementing a roadmap for its full membership into the bloc.

He added that the member countries were committed to facilitating Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.

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Myanmar military, minority armed group agree ceasefire, China says.

BEIJING - The Myanmar military & the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) signed a formal agreement for a ceasefire began on Saturday, China's foreign ministry said, halting fighting near the border of both countries. The two sides held talks in China's southwestern city of Kunming where they thanked Beijing for its efforts to promote peace, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular news briefing on Monday. "Cooling down the situation in the north of Myanmar is in the common interest of all parties in Myanmar and all countries in the region, and contributes to the security, stability and development of the border areas between China and Myanmar," she said.

China will continue to actively promote peace and dialogue and provide support and assistance to the peace process in northern Myanmar, Mao said. The MNDAA is one of several ethnic minority armed groups fighting to repel the military from what they consider their territories. 

It's part of so-called Three Brotherhood Alliance, with Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army, that launched an offensive against military junta in late October 2023 seizing swathes of territory near the border with China. The MNDAA, made up of ethnic Chinese, said last July it had taken control of a major military base near the Chinese border.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/myanma...china-says

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Myanmar junta & minority armed group agree ceasefire, China saying.

BEIJING, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The Myanmar military and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) signed a formal agreement for a ceasefire that began on Saturday, China's foreign ministry said, halting fighting near the border of both countries. The two sides held talks in China's southwestern city of Kunming where they thanked Beijing for its efforts to promote peace, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular news briefing on Monday.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacif...025-01-20/

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Myanmar Junta Blames Thailand, EAOs as China Urges Scam Crackdown.

Amid Chinese pressure on Myanmar to crack down on border scam operations, the regime has shifted blame to Thailand and ethnic armed groups, while the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) and pro-democracy forces have pledged to cooperate with neighboring countries to combat telecom fraud effectively.

The regime claimed in a lengthy statement on Monday that scam centers along the border operate with electricity and internet supplied from a neighboring country. It said criminal syndicates active near the border also obtain weapons, ammunition and construction materials from the adjacent country, which was not named but is widely understood to be Thailand.

The regime said it had arrested 55,711 foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, for online fraud and handed them back to authorities in their own countries.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...kdown.html

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https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...kdown.html

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People who fled Myanmar carry their belongings across a bridge that connects Myanmar and India at the border village of Zokhawthar, Champhai district, in India's northeastern state of Mizoram, India, November 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Twenty-nine Myanmarese soldiers, who fled to Mizoram following intense gunfights with militia group People’s Defence Force (PDF), were sent back to their country on Sunday, an official said.

With these, a total of 74 Myanmar army personnel, who crossed over to India after their camps were overrun by militia groups in the recent gunfight, have been escorted back to their country, she said.
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/...k-9033463/

Work is in progress...

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Life Returns to ‘Ghost Town’ Lashio as Myanmar Junta-MNDAA Truce Takes Hold. Lashio residents displaced by fighting between the junta and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) are cautiously eyeing a return home after the two sides signed a ceasefire.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/lif...-hold.html

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The Arakan Army (AA) has confessed that its troops killed two captive Myanmar junta soldiers in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, after a rights group exposed the extrajudicial killings.
AA spokesman Khaing Thukha said the incident occurred during the group’s offensive on the 9th Military Operations Command in Kyauktaw on February 7 last year. Action had been taken against the perpetrators, he said
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/aa-...e_vignette

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The Arakan Army (AA) has confessed that its troops killed two captive Myanmar junta soldiers in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, after a rights group exposed the extrajudicial killings.
AA spokesman Khaing Thukha said the incident occurred during the group’s offensive on the 9th Military Operations Command in Kyauktaw on February 7 last year. Action had been taken against the perpetrators, he said
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/aa-...e_vignette

Khaing Thukha highlighted abuses committed by Myanmar’s military against civilians in Rakhine.
“Our militias could not control their anger when they captured terrorist soldiers who had arbitrarily arrested, tortured and killed their relatives &  committed the killings as a form of retaliation, We have punished all perpetrators, including some junior commanders, involved in this incident,” The spokesman did not specify the punishments. 
Extrajudicial killings of captured junta soldiers have been reported across Myanmar although the numbers are dwarfed by those killed by the regime and its allies.

Regime Junta airstrikes continue on AA-held territory in Rakhine. At least 26 civilians, including children, were killed, many others injured, they air strike bombed Ramree & Kyauktaw townships on January 8 & 11. AA said 28 captive junta soldiers & their family members were killed & 25 others injured in a junta airstrike on a detention center in Mrauk-U Township on Jan 18.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/aa-...e_vignette

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Putin said to seeks restart nuclear disarmament talks with US under President Donald Trump. This was after Trump said he and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had discussed "denuclearisation" during his previous term as US President. China can join too, if..
https://youtu.be/95n-xLt2dt8?si=RbsoikrLh6Vhh9tR

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Bowen Chinese School in Myanmar holds cultural event: Celebrate Spring Festival

YANGON: The Bowen Chinese School brought the spirit of the Spring Festival to life with a vibrant cultural event held here on Saturday (Jan 25), featuring traditional Chinese and Myanmar songs, dance performances and poetry recitations by about 1,000 students.

Participants included students from Bowen Chinese School, the National University of Arts and Culture (Yangon) and a primary school in Yangon's Hlaingthaya township.
Event, held at National Theater of Yangon, is a cultural collaboration between China & Myanmar, allowing children to experience beauty of both cultures, Cho Cho Myint, principal of Bowen Chinese School, told Xinhua.

Now into 3rd yr, Spring Festival celebration has seen an increase in participation from Myanmar students, enhancing "Paukphaw" (fraternal) friendship between the two nations, she said. Collaboration offered a unique platform for students from both countries to explore & appreciate each other's heritage, principal added, children were filled with excitement & joy during the event. Ei Ei Khine, 15, a student from Bowen Chinese School, said "I had so much fun preparing for this event. It made me feel closer to my culture & my friends."
Mu Thit Thakin, 11, a student from the primary school in Hlaingthaya township, shared her excitement about performing.

"I came here to showcase my dancing skills on stage. I felt happy, excited, and having my friends with me made it less stressful."
Saw Kyaw Lwin Htoo, 23, a lecturer from the National University of Arts and Culture, highlighted the importance of preserving Myanmar's puppetry tradition. "We performed with puppets. Our country's puppetry tradition is fading, this event gave us a chance to present our culture to a large audience.

"I'm really glad to see so many young people enthusiastically participating."
The excitement was shared by parents & teachers, who expressed their pride in the children's efforts. "It's heartwarming to see the younger generation keeping our traditions alive through music and dance.

"These events teach them the values and stories behind the Spring Festival," said one parent. Bowen Chinese School's Spring Festival celebration not only honoured tradition but also created lasting memories for students, families, and the community, she added. - Xinhua

[cityhantam]

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Why the Thailand-Myanmar border became a hub for fraud gangs preying on Chinese nationals
The recent rescue of kidnapped actor Wang Xing has highlighted the transnational criminal networks that thrive in the region.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomac...-nationals

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Junta to Evacuate their Elite training.
 
From Naypyitaw Junta regime is to evacuate Defense Services Academy (DSA) & Defense Services Technological Academy (DSTA) from Mandalay Region’s Pyin Oo Lwin as fighting from neighboring Shan State closer in.  

Meanwhile They are to move to Agricultural University campus in Naypyitaw’s Zeyathiri Township, Deputy Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Minister Tin Htut told university authorities. Located in Yezin village, the campus is already home to three universities, others being the University of Livestock, Veterinary & Science Uni
and Environmental Science.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...yitaw.html

[Gemstar]

Junta to Evacuate their Elite training.
 
From Naypyitaw Junta regime is to evacuate Defense Services Academy (DSA) & Defense Services Technological Academy (DSTA) from Mandalay Region’s Pyin Oo Lwin as fighting from neighboring Shan State closer in.  

Meanwhile They are to move to Agricultural University campus in Naypyitaw’s Zeyathiri Township, Deputy Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Minister Tin Htut told university authorities. Located in Yezin village, the campus is already home to three universities, others being the University of Livestock, Veterinary & Science Uni
and Environmental Science.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...yitaw.html

The rebels are determined to subdue the evil military junta and slowly moving-in to the capital. Rebels forces hv taken a lot of territories from the junta. And blessing is that many civilians, from all walks of life, hv joined the rebel forces to counter-fight the junta military.

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Myanmar’s Internet Shutdowns: Silencing Resistance in the Battle for Connectivity. In the aftermath of Myanmar’s February 2021 military coup, the junta has weaponized internet shutdowns in-country, targeting resistance-controlled areas. By severing the opposition’s communication channels, the regime aims to stifle dissent, isolate these forces, and weaken the coordination of pro-democracy elements. The deliberate blackouts have profound implications not only for Myanmar citizens’ freedom of expression but also for the safety, livelihoods, and survival of affected communities.

The tactic of govts using internet shutdowns is neither new nor limited to Myanmar: Freedom House has uncovered its ubiquitous usage in countries across the democratic spectrum  The junta has aggressively deployed such tactics in Myanmar’s civil war, simultaneously with armed attacks. The Myanmar Internet Project has recorded 329 shutdowns since February 2021. Resistance-controlled areas, particularly Sagaing and Magwe regions and Kachin State, bear the brunt, as they are where some of the most intense fighting with the Myanmar army occurs. ATHAN reports that all 330 townships in Myanmar have experienced some form of communications blackout (meaning telephone and/or internet outages) since coup.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/guest-...ivity.html

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YANGON—Myanmar’s junta extended a state of emergency by six months on Friday, four years after it seized power triggering a civil war that has claimed thousands of lives.

Junta is struggling to contain armed resistance to its rule, suffering a series of damaging battlefield losses over past year to an alliance of ethnic minority armed groups in the north and west of the country. The regime headed by army chief Min Aung Hlaing unanimously approved the extension, the junta’s info team said in a statement.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mya...onths.html

[Tee tiong huat]

Four years after the coup, chaos reigns as Myanmar’s military struggles


Female members of the Mandalay People's Defense Forces (MDY-PDF) head to the frontline in northern Shan State in December 2023. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images. A patchwork of armed opposition groups have made major gains over the past year, with the military facing further losses. Female members of Mandalay People's Defense Forces (MDY-PDF) head to the frontline in northern Shan State in December 2024. The streets of Lashio, a once bustling city in north-eastern Myanmar, are quieter than usual. Schools are shut, except for those run by volunteers from the pro-democracy resistance in the community. Months of airstrikes have left destruction. Even though the fighting has stopped, electricity is still not running properly. Instead, residents rely on solar power to charge their phones, and firewood and charcoal to cook.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-devel...nniversary

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22 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed by Mandalay Resistance. The PDF’s No. 1 Military Region in a statement said it attacked a junta column of approximately 50 troops from Light Infantry Division 99 between the township’s Mya Taung and Sein Pan Kan villages. Following the clashes, we recovered 21 bodies of junta troops, including Capt. Aung Zaw Min. We later received reports that Maj. Yan Lin Aung, who had been injured, died during the retreat. We captured eight junta troops alive,” the PDF said. Combined PDF forces and local resistance groups launched the Myingyan District Special Operation, the first of its kind in the plains region, late last year. Its goal is to liberate all four townships in the district—Myingyan, Taung Tha, Natogyi, and Nganzun—from junta troops and allied militias. The column led by Major Yan Lin Aung and Captain Aung Zaw Min had left Pyin Si village in the morning.

In Thursday’s ambush, the PDF also seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition despite junta air support for its ground troops with a Mi-35 helicopter. Natogyi and Myingyan are predominantly. Bamar-populated areas on the eastern bank of Irrawaddy River south of Mandalay city. News of such dramatic ambushes has previously been more common from mountainous areas where ethnic armed groups dominate.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/22-...tance.html