The Brotherhood Alliance is marching towards the capital of Kokang Self-Administered Zone – Laukkai Town – after seizing the last junta miliary bases in the southwest of Laukkai Township on Friday.
Control of Kokang, which borders China in northern Shan State, has shifted back and forth between ethnic Kokang people and Myanmar’s military over the decades.
The alliance – which included the ethnic Kokang Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) – seized the four junta bases in northern and southern Kokang region on the 29th day of what it calls Operation 1027. It also seized Sai Tar Aine hill, which had been the last hill top controlled by junta troops in Ton Shan.
“It was the last hill the [junta] military troops controlled in Laukkai [Township],” the MNDAA said, adding that alliance troops are now marching towards Laukkai Town.
The alliance comprises the MNDAA the Arakan Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. They launched a joint attack on the junta’s military in northern Shan State on October 27, calling the offensive Operation 1027 due the date of its beginning.
Myanmar military troops fought fiercely in 2009 and 2015 against the MNDAA, which until 2009 was led Peng Jiasheng. After the 2009 Kokang battle and the removal of Peng Jiasheng, Myanmar’s military took control of Kokang and shared power with those who followed its orders.
The MNDAA is now led by Peng Jiasheng’s son, Peng Daxun.
It is attempting to retake Laukkai Township in order to regain control of Kokang Self-Administered Zone.
MNDAA spokesperson Li Kyarwen described Laukkai Town as the most important of Kokang’s two townships but declined to discuss plans for retaking the capital.
The Chinese embassy in Myanmar on Friday warned its citizens to immediately evacuate the Laukkai Township and avoid the rest of Kokang, Residents of Laukkai Town who can leave have been fleeing but some remained trapped in the town.
Li Kyarwen said the MNDAA is trying to help residents trapped in the town.
The Brotherhood Alliance said that as of November 24 it had seized more than 180 junta military bases in northern Myanmar since the launch of Operation 1027.
The MNDAA said it seized large caches of weapons and ammunition from junta troops after fierce fighting on Friday.
