7-7-2024 (MANDALAY) In a daring offensive that has escalated the long-simmering tensions in Myanmar’s restive borderlands, ethnic minority fighters have engaged in fierce clashes as they battle their way into the town of Lashio, which houses a regional military command of the junta forces. The audacious move by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), part of the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” of ethnic armed groups, has sent shockwaves through the region and drawn global attention to the simmering conflict.
According to General Tar Bhone Kyaw, a leader of the TNLA, the ethnic fighters have boldly advanced into Lashio, a strategic town in northern Shan state that serves as the headquarters for the junta’s northeastern military command. In a statement to AFP, the general revealed that soldiers were “surrounding” the town as the ethnic forces pushed their way in, signaling the intensity of the clashes that have engulfed the area.
The fighting first erupted on Wednesday as the ethnic minority fighters, emboldened by their recent territorial gains, made their move toward Lashio. The escalation has already exacted a heavy toll on the civilian population, with a member of a local volunteer group tasked with treating the injured and burying the dead confirming that at least 16 civilians have lost their lives since the clashes began.
“There has been very strong fighting around the town,” the rescuer said, their voice tinged with a sense of urgency. “The fighting is still going on.”
The source further revealed that the TNLA fighters had managed to infiltrate the town from the south as of yesterday, underscoring the audacity of their offensive and the growing challenge they pose to the junta’s control over the region.
Lashio’s strategic location on a major highway linking Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, with China’s Yunnan province has only heightened the tension surrounding the ongoing conflict. The town’s importance as a transportation hub and its proximity to the Chinese border have amplified the potential for broader regional implications should the fighting escalate further.
The impact of the clashes has already been felt in the commercial sphere, with flights to Lashio from Yangon, the country’s commercial hub, having been canceled since Wednesday morning, according to an airport source in Yangon.
The “Three Brotherhood Alliance,” comprising the TNLA, the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), has been engaged in an audacious offensive against the military since October of last year. Their campaign has targeted areas near Lashio and along the Chinese border, challenging the junta’s authority in these volatile regions.
General Tar Bhone Kyaw’s claims of progress extend beyond Lashio, with the TNLA leader asserting that the ethnic fighters have also made significant gains in the town of Mogok, located west of Lashio. “The western part is got,” he declared, referring to Mogok, a town surrounded by hills rich in rubies, sapphires, spinel, aquamarine, and other semi-precious stones, underscoring the potential economic implications of the conflict.
The general’s words carried a sense of determination as he added, “We are trying to get the eastern part,” a clear indication that the ethnic forces are unwavering in their pursuit of territorial control and leverage against the junta.
The alliance’s offensives have dealt a significant blow to the military regime since its seizure of power in 2021, with the ethnic groups seizing swathes of territory and lucrative border crossings, effectively challenging the junta’s authority and stranglehold on the nation’s resources.
In an attempt to quell the escalating violence, China brokered a ceasefire in January between the military and the alliance. However, this tentative peace was short-lived, as the TNLA launched fresh attacks in Shan state and the neighboring Mandalay region late last month, reigniting the conflict and dashing hopes for a lasting cessation of hostilities.
