The People’s Defence Force (PDF) told DVB that the military is repairing the Yadana Sinkha Bridge, also known as Irrawaddy Bridge, linking Mandalay Region’s Singu Township with Sagaing Region’s Kyaukmyaung Township to facilitate travel between the neighbouring regions.
“Regime forces have positions in Kyaukmyaung. When the bridge is fixed, they can move freely toward Mogok,” a PDF member in Mandalay Region told DVB on the condition of anonymity, referring to the ruby mining hub which was handed over by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to regime forces on Nov. 29. Mogok is located 82 miles (132 km) northeast of Kyaukmyaung.
Regime forces regained control of the Yadana Sinkha bridge on Dec. 22, four days after recapturing Singu, located 58 miles (93 km) north of Mandalay, from the PDF on Dec. 18. The bridge was allegedly mined by the PDF on Oct. 29, the same day the regime and the TNLA signed its ceasefire which pledged to hand back control of Mogok, and Momeik Township in northern Shan State, to regime forces.
Military analysts told DVB that regime forces may escalate their counteroffensive against the PDF in Sagaing’s Khin-U, Shwebo and Wetlet townships once the bridge repairs are completed. Kyaukmyaung Township is located 16-32 miles (25-40 km) east, northeast and southeast of Shwebo, Wetlet and Khin-U, which are under PDF control.
A PDF member in Khin-U told DVB that the regime is repairing the bridge to gain residents’ trust, adding that regime forces are “unlikely” to advance deeper into Sagaing as the PDF has “thwarted” every attack to date.
Soe Win Swe, a Sagaing-based politician, told DVB that the counteroffensive will escalate in Sagaing because the PDF has lost all of the territory in Mandalay’s Singu, Madaya and Thabeikkyin townships it had seized since 2024.
Regime forces recaptured Madaya, 24 miles (38 km) south of Singu and 24 miles (38 km) north of Mandalay, in November. Thabeikkyin was recaptured on July 23 but Tagaung and surrounding areas are reportedly under PDF control. The two towns are located 57-90 miles (91-144 km) north of Mandalay.
PDF members in Sagaing and Mandalay told DVB that they withdrew from the towns due to airstrikes and an “overwhelming” ground assault, but will consider launching guerrilla-style attacks to counter military advances.
The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) held the first phase of voting in the regime’s 2025-26 elections in 12 Sagaing and eight Mandalay townships on Dec. 28. Voting won’t be held in 12 of Sagaing’s 37 townships and three of Mandalay’s 28 townships due to “a lack of conditions to hold free-and-fair elections,” according to the UEC.
