Myanmar military loses control of border town with China

NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar’s military government has lost control of Chinshwehaw, an important town on the border with China, following days of fighting with armed groups, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday.

In a significant setback for the military leaders who seized power from Myanmar’s elected government in February 2021, they have struggled to quell opposition to their rule.

Zaw Min Tun, a government spokesman, said on Wednesday that “government, administrative organisations, and security organisations are no longer present” in Chinshwehaw.

Chinshwehaw, a town bordering China’s Yunnan province, holds vital importance in facilitating trade between Myanmar and China. State media reported that more than 25 percent of Myanmar’s USD 1.8 billion border trade with China passed through Chinshwehaw from April to September, citing the Ministry of Commerce. This development follows days of conflict in Myanmar’s northern Shan state, where the army has been engaged in battles with a coalition of three ethnic rebel groups known as the Brotherhood Alliance, Al Jazeera reported.

These groups, consisting of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the Arakan Army, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), with an estimated 15,000 fighters, have been consistently clashing with Myanmar’s military over demands for autonomy and access to resources. (ANI)

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