The Brotherhood Alliance—a tripartite military alliance comprising the Arakan Army (AA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)—launched simultaneous attacks on regime targets and bases in several towns in northern Shan State early on Friday.
As the attacks began, the MNDAA, an ethnic Kokang armed group based in northern Shan State’s Kokang region, issued a statement announcing the launch of anti-regime Operation 1027, a reference to Friday’s date, Oct. 27.
It said the operation was aimed at rooting out the military dictatorship, fulfilling the desire of the people of the country and protecting them from the junta’s daily arbitrary killings.
It also aims to stop the military regime from attacking ethnic armed organizations with heavy weapons and air strikes, and to build a federal democratic union with authentic self-administrative regions, the group said.
Finally, it said the operation aims to eradicate cyber scams in the Kokang region, also known as Shan State Special Region 1, which are mainly operated by the military regime and allied militia groups.
The AA and TNLA said in a separate, joint statement issued by all three EAOs on Friday that they are both also involved in Operation 1027.
At 4 a.m. Friday, the ethnic groups simultaneously attacked regime targets in Kyaukme, Kutkai, Muse, Lashio, Namkham, Nawnghkio and Chin Shwe Haw in northern Shan State and the ruby mining area of Mogoke in upper Mandalay Region, according to the resistance groups and locals.
Resistance groups also raided militia bases in Lashio Township, including an attack on junta forces at a tollgate at the entrance to Lashio town, the largest city in northern Shan State.
The MNDAA also announced it had blocked the Lashio-Muse Highway and Lashio-Chin Shwe Haw Road since this morning to prevent regime reinforcements from using the routes.
It strongly urged people not to violate its ban on using the roads, saying it would regard any vehicles on the routes as junta logistics vehicles and target them for attack.
A Lashio resident told The Irrawaddy on Friday morning that the junta had been counterattacking the ethnic armed groups using aircraft and artillery in the township since 8 a.m.
“The junta shelled and bombed villages and some residential wards in the northeast of the town. There were civilian casualties. But rescue groups have been unable to reach the area,” the resident said.
The MNDAA reportedly seized control of Chin Shwe Haw town from the military and occupied it on Friday. It also claimed to have seized junta outposts in strategic locations including the Chin Shwe Haw Bridge, Hopan, Kunlong and Mong Koe, as well as outposts on the outskirts of Lashio.
A resident in neighboring Hopan town told The Irrawaddy that “The MNDAA previously said intense clashes would come after Oct. 27. But the attacks started at 4 a.m. this morning in Hopan. A lot of junta police and pro-junta militias were killed in the attack. The junta counterattacked with artillery and air strikes.”
MNDAA troops reportedly seized a junta-run customs office in Chin Shwe Haw, killing more than 15 police officers and pro-junta militias.
A photo that went viral online appears to show the dead bodies of around 15 policemen being placed on a road near a checkpoint.
Meanwhile, as part of Operation 1027, TNLA troops managed to seize two strategic military outposts near the Namhkam-Nam Hpat Kar Road in Namhkam Township, northern Shan on Friday morning.
On Wednesday, clashes broke out in Kunlong Township, Lashio District, northern Shan State when the three ethnic armed groups launched joint attacks on three junta camps, including one near the road to Chin Shwe Haw.
The Myanmar military regime is facing attacks by the People’s Defense Force (PDF), which is the armed wing of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), as well as ethnic armed groups across the country, except in Rakhine State where the AA and the junta agreed a temporary ceasefire in late 2022.
