The ethnic Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People’s Defense Force groups under the command of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) on Wednesday took complete control of ruby hub Mogoke in northern Mandalay Region after around 30 days of attacks on Myanmar regime targets.
Mogoke, 189 km north of Myanmar’s second-biggest city Mandalay, has become the third town seized by PDFs and ethnic rebel armies during Phase 2 of their successful anti-regime offensive Operation 1027.
“We completely seized the last remaining strategic military base and another junta base at Phaung Taw Oo pagoda. Now, we have taken complete control of the whole town,” TNLA spokeswoman Lway Yay Oo told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
Viral videos and photos show Mogoke’s residents warmly welcoming TNLA and PDF troops entering the town after defeating the last junta bases on Wednesday.
After the fall of the town, junta-backed pro-military Telegram channels eagerly urged the military regime to incinerate the whole of Mogoke with aerial bombardments.
On Saturday, TNLA ally Mandalay People’s Defense Force and local resistance groups took complete control of neighboring Singu Township in Mandalay after around 20 days of attacks.
Mandalay PDF and allied resistance groups have also seized around 30 other junta bases including the Air Defense Battalion Headquarters in Madaya Township next to Mandalay city.
Along with several resistance groups including Mandalay PDF, the TNLA, a member of the Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic armies, resumed Operation 1027 on June 25 by attacking regime targets in several townships in northern Shan State and northern Mandalay Region.
As part of the operation, TNLA and Mandalay PDF took complete control of Nawnghkio town in northern Shan on July 10.
Meanwhile, several other resistance groups led by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), another member of the ethnic alliance, have been attempting to seize Lashio, the capital of northern Shan State, since July 3.
Intense fighting continued to be reported in Lashio city on Wednesday after some battalion headquarters and frontline bases around the town were seized by the resistance group.
During the second phase of the operation since June 25, the ethnic alliance and allied resistance groups have seized around 90 junta bases including around 10 battalion headquarters and have taken complete control of three towns in northern Shan State and northern Mandalay Region.
They also have effective control of Kyaukme and Mongmit towns in northern Shan, though they do not yet claim to have fully captured them as they continue to attack remaining junta positions outside the towns.
Alongside several resistance groups, the Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027 in northern Shan State in October last year, seizing hundreds of junta bases including command centers and 24 battalion headquarters as well as around 20 towns and vital trade routes with China.
The operation was halted on Jan. 10 after the ethnic alliance agreed to a China-brokered ceasefire with the regime, but resumed last month when the ceasefire collapsed.
