Myanmar junta army lost strategic city in North East
Northern Alliance Forces at the captured Junta base
Yangon, 12 November 2023
Kunlong, the strategic city on Salween river was lost to Northern Alliance opposition forces on 12 November at 10:15AM local time. The city have been heavily contested since 1 November by alliance forces led by the MNDAA army of ethnic Chinese. The opposition forces display captured Howitzers, Tanks and 122mm multiple rocket launcher batteries in the military bases they overrun. The junta spokesman denied the loss of the city on the daily briefing.
It is the first major defeat for the Junta army as the city is historic in the history of 75 year Myanmar civil war. The last major battle there was on 1974 when the Myanmar junta army defeated Chinese communist backed Burma Communist Party BCP rebel forces known as ” Kunlong 40 days war” which is immortalized in Myanmar military history with many movies and songs. The MNDAA and allied are the remnants of BCP communist forces and they have achieved what their predecessors did not. The captured military bases contain a battalion and Head Quarter of the forward commend base for the forces in the area with large amount of weapons. This is the proof of the morale of Myanmar junta soldiers in the frontlines who have been fighting renewed civil war since recent coup in February 2021, and the failure of their military leadership.
There are reports about the capital of Kayah state, Loikaw in the South of the country, is partially captured by the alliance of Kayah ethnic rebels but could not be reconfirmed independently.
The sporadic fighting between rival militias forces, Junta allied Pyuu Saw Htee and NLD allied PDF, are reported in the North and North Western war theatres.
In the Maw Luu and Mae Zar cities in the north of the country, total of 57 government employees including 37 school teachers are reported to be captured by Kachin ethnic led KIA opposition forces and NLD allied PDF armed men in 11 November midnight. The local opposition forces are said to issue ultimatum for all junta government appointed employees to resign their jobs by the midnight of 11 November or face the severe punishment. The whereabouts or fate of the abducted persons are unknown.
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