The ethnic-Rakhine Arakan Army (AA) has captured the chief of 19th Military Operations Command (MOC-19) after clashes with junta forces in Chin State’s Paletwa Township.
MOC-19 chief Brigadier-General Zin Myo Swe fled during the AA’s attack on a junta base in Paletwa Township on Thursday. He was captured the following day, according to sources.
Junta troops and the AA have been fighting in western Rakhine State and neighboring Paletwa Township since the second week of November. Troops from MOC-19 based in Mon State’s Ye Township have been sent to fight in Paletwa.
Junta forces lost contact with Zin Myo Swe during the AA’s attack on his command base at Infantry Battalion 289.
Zin Myo Swe was transferred to 19th Military Operations Command, which is under Southeastern Command, from a Myanmar military tactical command base in Kutkai Township, northern Shan State, in 2022. Kutkai Town was recently seized by the Brotherhood Alliance, a military grouping comprising the AA, Ta’ang National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
Zin Myo Swe joined the military 1993, serving in No. 18 Light Infantry Battalion in the early days of his career.
The AA has not issued an update on the fighting, but local media outlet Narinjara News reported the ethnic armed group had defeated Infantry Battalion 289 on Thursday and captured junta troops including commanders.
The AA launched an offensive to take control of Paletwa Township early this month. It occupied a Light Infantry Battalion base last Wednesday before seizing Meewa tactical command on the border of Paletwa and Rakhine State’s Kyauktaw township on Saturday.
The Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027 in late October, triggering a coordinated resistance offensive that has seized hundreds of junta bases and outposts as well as 30 towns in Shan, Kachin, Karenni (Kayah) and Chin states and Sagaing Region.
