Clashes erupted in Nawnghkio Township, northern Shan State, on Tuesday as Myanmar’s junta deployed reinforcements near Nawnghkio town, which was captured by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) last month.
The ethnic Brotherhood Alliance member resumed Operation 1027 in June and seized control of Nawnghkio town, which lies on the vital Myanmar-China trade route, on July 10.
At around 11.40 am on Tuesday, the TNLA and allies attacked a unit of junta reinforcements sent to Shwe Mote Htaw village, 19 kilometers north of Nawnghkio town.
Nawnghkio is situated on the main road from Mandalay to the Chinese border, making it a strategic hub in northern Myanmar. The town is connected to Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, Kyaukme, Hsipaw and Lashio by road and rail, and linked to Shan State’s capital Taunggyi by National Road 43.
Also on Tuesday, the TNLA and its allied Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MDY-PDF) attacked fleeing regime forces in Mogoke township.
Mogoke, Mandalay Region’s famed ruby-mining town, was seized by the TNLA and MDY-PDF on July 24 after a month of fighting.
“We chased the enemy and a clash broke out around Sein Kone village in Mogoke,” said the TNLA in a statement.
Tuesday also saw the TNLA and allies seize Kyaukme town, 50 kilometers northeast of Nawnghkio, after defeating its last remaining junta defenses.
“The clashes halted in both Mogoke and Nawnghkio on Wednesday. After we took complete control of Kyaukme, the junta is now dropping bombs on Kutkai,” said a TNLA official, describing the airstrikes as junta retaliation.
Kutkai town lies 185 km northeast of Kyaukme on the Myanmar-China trade route.
Regime airstrikes in Kutkai Township on Tuesday killed at least six residents, wounded 10, and destroyed around 400 shops in a market, the TNLA said.
Kutkai was taken by the TNLA last year during the first phase of Operation 1027.
The TNLA, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and allied groups resumed Operation 1027 on June 25 after a China-brokered ceasefire collapsed.
Over a month into phase two of the operation, the ethnic armies and People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) under the civilian National Unity Government have seized six towns and over 100 junta bases — including the regime military’s North Eastern Command headquarters — in northern Shan State and northern Mandalay Region.
