Myanmar Military Base seized near Chinese Border

Rebels from Myanmar‍‍`s People‍‍`s Defense Forces (PDF) and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAO) have seized more bases from the junta in the past four days. Insurgents across the country continue to attack them.

Junta forces lost control of these bases in Rakhine, Kachin and Mon provinces and Sagaing and Bago regions.

Irrawaddy reported these news on behalf of PDF and EAO rebels. However, Irrawaddy could not impartially verify these reports of casualties and seizes of base.

Ethnic armed allies on Monday seized a junta base in Kachin State’s Mansi Township, bordering China, according to the Arakan Army (AA). The AA took part in the attack alongside the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Kachin People’s Defense Forces (KPDFs).

The Arakan Army (AA) said it seized a strategically important army base on the Mandalay-Mytkinia road in Kachin state after three days of fighting.

According to AA, Kachin Independent Army (KIA) and Kachin Regional People‍‍`s Defense Force (KRPDF) launched a joint operation with the insurgents and captured the base in Shikhangi area of ​​Mansi city. Soldiers from the junta‍‍`s infantry battalions 276 and 223 had been stationed at the base for nearly 30 years.

The rebels claimed that the junta had carried out more than 60 airstrikes to protect the base. At least 6 civilians were killed and more than 15 were injured.

The Brotherhood Alliance of the AA, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and Ta’ang National Liberation Army has halted its Operation 1027 offensive near the Chinese border in northern Shan State following pressure from China. But its political ally, the KIA, is pressing on with its attacks in northern Shan.

After a month of combat, on January 24, the KIA and KPDFs took control of a junta stronghold in Nam Hpat Kar village on the Lashio-Muse road in the northern part of Kutkai Township. The village is situated along the China border trade route.

In northern Shan State, on January 21, the KIA also took control of a junta base in Man Wein Gyi village, which is situated between Mansi Township and Namhkam town. Man Wein Gyi is strategically situated between Namkham and Ruili in China.

Momeik (Mongmit), in northern Shan, was regained by regime soldiers on January 25 following the withdrawal of KIA and ally forces, who had earlier on January 18 defeated junta defenses there.

On January 20, KIA and its allies took control of Mabein Town, which was nearby, and now they were in charge of one town, two villages, and the surrounding areas.

According to an anonymous source on the ground, Momeik and Mabein are located on the KIA route that supplies the People‍‍`s Defense Forces in the Sagaing Region. The two towns are also lucrative gemstone hubs, which boosts Kachin resistance forces‍‍` efforts to conquer them.