Ethnic minority fighters opposed to the junta ruling Burma announced on Saturday, December 16, that they had captured the town of Namhsan in the north of the country, two days after China announced a brokered ceasefire.
Fighting has been raging near the China-Myanmar border since the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) launched a joint offensive against the central military power.
This alliance's takeover of military positions and border points crucial to trade with China represents the biggest military challenge to the junta since it seized power in 2021 by overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, analysts say .
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On Thursday, Beijing announced a ceasefire between the three-way alliance and the Burmese army. The TNLA announced the capture of Namhsan on Friday after launching an attack in the region more than two weeks ago.
Since the end of October, seven cities have been captured by the army
“We have taken the city,” Brigadier General Tar Bone Kyaw told Agence-France Presse, and the TNLA posted video footage on Facebook showing the group's leaders visiting the city and addressing captured junta soldiers.
A Myanmar army spokesman, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, told state television MRTV on Friday that fighting was continuing around Namhsan.
According to TNLA Brigadier General Tar Bhone Kyaw, the Myanmar army has also lost a key trade corridor in Muse (Shan State) on the border with China.
In total, the alliance of three ethnic groups claims to have seized 422 bases and 7 cities from the Burmese army since October 27th. Their offensive mobilized other opponents of the junta and clashes also broke out in the east and west of the country. According to the United Nations, more than half a million people were forced to leave their homes.
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