The regime in Naypyidaw is planning a counteroffensive to reclaim Nawnghkio Township, in northern Shan State, which was seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on July 10, sources close to the regime told DVB.
“[It] is sending troops and provisions to Taunghkam village,” the source told DVB on the condition of anonymity. The regime has also sent Russian-made drones to Taunghkam on April 1 that can bypass Chinese-made drone jamming devices used by resistance forces, the source added.
Jamming devices can disrupt drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), by interfering with the signals coming from a remote control on-the-ground.
Taunghkam is located 20 miles (32 km) south of Nawnghkio, which is 96 miles (154 km) south of the region’s capital Lashio and 147 miles (236 km) north of the Shan State capital Taunggyi.
Regime forces recaptured an outpost at Shwe Ayar Tanepinlel viewpoint near Taunghkam on March 25, and Artillery Battalions 206 and 406 in the village from the TNLA in February, media reported.
The source confirmed that troops from the Yangon-based Light Infantry Division (LID) 11 and battalions under the Northeastern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in Lashio will join the counteroffensive to reclaim Nawnghkio for the regime.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) seized the Northeastern RMC headquarters on Aug. 3, which led to the regime vacating Lashio.
But earlier this week the town was handed back to the regime by the MNDAA, as part of the China-brokered ceasefire agreement reached on Jan. 18.
“After the regime signed a ceasefire agreement with the [MNDAA], the TNLA became its sole target in northern Shan,” Zin Yaw, a former Burma Army soldier who defected to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) after the 2021 coup, told DVB.
Lashio residents told DVB that at least 2,000 regime officials and armed military personnel arrived back in the town April 18-22.
Hsipaw, Kyaukme and Nawnghkio townships are under TNLA control and are located 45-96 miles (72-154 km) southwest of Lashio.
The TNLA reported that the Myanmar Air Force carried out an airstrike on Ommati village in Nawnghkio on Tuesday and dropped “poison gas” bombs during fighting near Taunghkam on Monday.
Naypyidaw extended its ceasefire on Tuesday from April 22-30. Since its ceasefire began on April 2, the regime has carried out 264 attacks on resistance forces, according to DVB data.
The TNLA, along with the MNDAA and the Arakan Army (AA), announced its ceasefire until April 30. China is reportedly preparing to host another round of talks between the regime and the TNLA after the first meeting in February failed to reach an agreement.
