Thousands of residents fled the capital of northern Shan on Friday morning after the ethnic armies encircling it continued bombarding the headquarters of the junta’s Northeastern Military Command in Lashio’s center on Thursday, residents of the city said.
They fled after a dozen residents of Lashio were killed by shelling and drone bombs on Thursday.
One resident of the city told The Irrawaddy that shells and bombs had hit residential wards and killed residents. “That is why people are leaving the city [and] many others are sheltering in monasteries,” the resident said.
At least 12 residents, including children, were killed on Wednesday and Thursday when their houses were hit by heavy explosives. More people were injured, and several homes were destroyed.
Another Lashio resident told The Irrawaddy that most evacuees fled residential wards adjacent the headquarters of the regime’s Northeastern Military Command, which is being shelled and bombed by drones. Most of those fleeing the city are traveling to Taunggyi, the capital of southern Shan State, and Mandalay Region.
Fighting intensified near the city this week as the ethnic armies that control most of Lashio Township closed in on it.
The families of the junta officers stationed in Lashio were reportedly evacuated to Naypyitaw by helicopter on Thursday.
Fighting broke out across Lashio Township on Tuesday night when the members of the Brotherhood Alliance – the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arkan Army – launched simultaneous attacks on regime bases in the township.
The alliance has reportedly captured several junta bases outside Lashio city, but has yet to officially comment on the status of the battle for Lashio.
The TNLA said that it had captured the junta’s Shwe Tharyar military base in northern Shan State’s Mongmit Township along with its ally, the Mandalay People’s Defense Force (PDF). The PDF is under the civilian National Unity Government. The TNLA said it also attacked a military base at a bridge crossing the Dohktawaddy River (also known as Myitnge River) in northern Shan State’s Hsipaw Township.
Intense clashes between regime forces and the TNLA were reported in nearby Mandalay Region’s Mogoke town, the country’s ruby hub, on Thursday.
Clashes intensified in the northern Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township on Thursday as the TNLA, Mandalay PDF and Danu People’s Liberation Army continued their attempt to capture the headquarters of the junta’s Missile Battalion 606.
The TNLA accused the junta of using chemical weapons to defend the headquarters of the missile battalion. It said resistance troops exposed to the chemicals are suffering from breathlessness, nausea, extreme agitation, fatigue, and low blood oxygen.
The junta has frequently been accused of turning to chemical warfare when its troops face losses on the battlefield.
The Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027 against the regime in northern Shan State in October last year, seizing 24 battalion HQs, hundreds of bases, around 20 towns and trade routes with China before a ceasefire was brokered on January 10 by Beijing.
Before the ceasefire, the alliance had encircled Lashio.
The TNLA resumed the operation on June 25 after repeated junta bombardments of territory it controls.
As of Thursday, the TNLA and allied PDFs had seized about 40 junta bases, including several battalion HQs in three townships in northern Shan State – Kyaukme, Mongmit and Nawnghkio – and three others in upper Mandalay Region – Madaya, Mogoke and Singu. They have also taken control of Kyaukme and Nawnghkio towns as well as large parts of Mogoke town.
