An anti-military armed group called the Burma National Revolutionary Army reportedly detained a member of the National Unity Government (NUG) People’s Administration Team (PAT) in Sagaing Region during a “raid” on a checkpoint in Pale Township’s Pann village on Saturday.
Bo Nagar, the BNRA leader, refuted claims that his forces “raided” the PAT checkpoint, adding that the incident was just a “quarrel” between the two resistance groups. The BNRA was established on Sept. 9, 2023 after changing its name from Myanmar Royal Dragon Army, which was founded by Bo Nagar in January 2022.
Bo Nagar, who comes from Sagaing’s Pale, claimed his forces are composed of 18 battalions, consisting of resistance groups from Sagaing, Magway and Mandalay regions — collectively known as Anyar or central Myanmar.
His BNRA is not under NUG command, but he was a founding member of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) in Pale, which is located 39 miles (62 km) southwest of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa, following the 2021 military coup.
The PDF under NUG command controls the southern part of Pale while the BNRA controls the north, according to residents. This “raid” or “quarrel” comes nine days after PDF members cleared four BNRA checkpoints for allegedly “collecting taxes from vehicles” on the northern side of the township on Jan. 9.
Pale residents told DVB that the Jan. 9 incident between the BNRA and the PDF is upsetting as the two armed resistance groups are unable to work together to counter regime forces.
On Jan. 8, the BNRA stated that the PDF was preparing to launch an attack against its forces, warning residents to remain alert. No casualties have been reported.
Richard Horsey, the senior Myanmar advisor at the International Crisis Group (ICG), told DVB that taxation has become a “challenge” for resistance groups administering territory seized since the 2021 coup.
This challenge of collecting taxes has been exacerbated since August when the United Wa State Army (UWSA) stopped supplying ammunition and weapons to resistance forces due to “Chinese pressure.”
The PDF has lost territory seized since 2024 to regime forces in Mandalay Region’s Singu, Madaya and Thabeikkyin townships. The three towns are located 57-90 miles (91-144 km) north of Mandalay.
The BNRA seized control of its territory in northern Pale on Nov. 11, 2024. It accused one of its former battalion commanders of stealing weapons and ammunition when he left to join the NUG Ministry of Defence in 2023.
