Summary:
- Anti-coup fighters claim control of a key military base in Lashio.
- Myanmar’s army chief admits troops are under pressure.
- Nearly 5,500 civilians have been killed since the 2021 coup.
Anti-coup fighters have claimed control of a key military base in northeastern Lashio over the weekend. Myanmar’s army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, acknowledged his troops are under pressure following the capture. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), part of an alliance fighting to remove the military from power, announced it had overrun the army’s Northeastern Command headquarters.
Min Aung Hlaing, without directly mentioning Lashio, stated that security forces in northern Shan State withdrew for safety reasons. He accused anti-coup forces of abusing civilians, attacking military hospitals, and collaborating with external agents. He noted their increasing use of sophisticated weaponry, including drones.
The military seized power in February 2021 from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, leading to mass protests that evolved into an armed rebellion. Since then, nearly 5,500 civilians have been killed, and about 20,715 are imprisoned for criticizing the military, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Rights groups call for investigations into potential war crimes by the military.
Lashio, about 110km south of the Chinese border, has been a target for the MNDAA since early July. They captured the border city of Laukkai in January. The armed alliance, including the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Mandalay People’s Defence Force (PDF), has claimed advances in regions like Mogok and the northern Shan State towns of Kyaukme and Nawnghkio. On August 2, the MNDAA stated it had fully captured the Northeast Command headquarters.
Analysts describe the regime’s loss of the Northeast Command as a significant defeat, making it difficult for the regime to hold its remaining outposts. The MNDAA, part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance with the TNLA and the Arakan Army, initially claimed the capture on July 25, but fighting continued.
On Monday, Major General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for Myanmar’s ruling military council, confirmed losing contact with the Northeast Command commanders but did not address the MNDAA’s capture claims. Myanmar’s military faces conflicts in at least ten of its fourteen regional commands. The fall of the Lashio HQ marks the first loss of a regional command center.
