Residents and resistance forces in Thabeikkyin Township of Mandalay Region told DVB that up to 1,000 regime troops have been deployed to Twinnge and 7-Mile villages, located along the Mandalay-Myitkyina Road from Mandalay toward the Kachin State capital. 

“Regime troops that withdrew from Mogok [Mandalay Region] and Momeik [Shan State] have arrived at 7-Mile and Twinnge. We think that between 800 to 1,000 troops are now here,” a Thabeikkyin resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. 

Thabeikkyin is located 90 miles (144 km) north of the region’s capital Mandalay. It has been under the control of resistance forces since Aug. 25. Twingge village was seized by the resistance on Aug. 17. 

The Advanced Training Depot 13 near Twinnge village, the Basic Military Training Camp 2 in 7-Mile village, and technical units stationed in Kyaukkyi village in Thabeikkyin are still under regime control. 

“There are uranium and rare earth mines reportedly around Kyaukkyi village. To the south of the village is a [military] technical unit. The regime controls Sanpalnago village by the Irrawaddy River and uses it for transport,” a People’s Defence Force (PDF) spokesperson in Madaya Township told DVB.

The regime has regained control of some areas in Thabeikkyin since September, after resistance forces wrested control of eight regime outposts there, as well as 35 in Madaya, and all in Singu Township, as of July. Ohnnegu, Kyaukkyi, and Twinnge villages in Thabeikkyin have seen near daily battles between regime and resistance forces, according to residents.

The Mandalay PDF fought alongside the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to seize control of Momeik and Nawngkhio towns in northern Shan State, as well as Mogok Township in Mandalay Region.