Ethnic minority rebels fighting Myanmar’s military junta said they had seized a key trading poston the northern frontier, across the border from where China’s military was conducting exercises to improve combat readiness and emergency response. A month of intense fighting between Myanmar’s ruling military and an alliance of ethnic minority insurgents has displaced tens of thousands of people in the border region, according to the UN, with concern growing in Beijing about instability and an influx of refugees.The rebellion has presented the biggest battlefield challenge to Myanmar’s well-equipped military since it seized power in a coup in 2021.
Emboldened by the northern offensive, pro-democracy militias increase attacks on security forces elsewhere in the country. The “Three Brotherhood Alliance”, as the insurgents call themselves, said they had conquered several towns and the Kyin-San-Kyawt border gate, one of five major trading zones in the township of Muse opposite China.
The alliance Monday said it was ready to take its operation to the next level, having launched coordinated attacks a month earlier to retake territory from the junta and counter the military’s air strikes. “Via the harmonious operations, the revolutionary forces have seized the junta military’s outposts and strategic hills (from which they) were shelling the civilians, by sacrificing their blood, sweat and even lives,” it said. “We are implementing the objectives of each organisation, and our common objectives, in unity and step-by-step.” China’s forces started combat exercises at the weekend that were due to run until Tuesday. Myanmar’s junta said it was aware of the drills.