Brotherhood Alliance captures major trade zone on China-Myanmar border

The three members of the Brotherhood Alliance have jointly seized control of the 105-Mile Trade Zone near the China-Myanmar border town of Muse, according to local sources. Residents of the area say the junta’s last remaining tactical base, located on a hill near the trade zone, fell to the anti-regime forces early Friday morning. “The military launched airstrikes near the hill yesterday, and there was fierce fighting throughout the night. But then there was a lull this morning, and I heard that they had captured the hill and taken control of the trade zone,” said a local man who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. “All three members [of the alliance] took part in the fighting,” he added, noting that he also saw the flag of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), a member of the alliance, flying over the tactical base early Friday. The Brotherhood Alliance, consisting of the MNDAA, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA), has been waging a coordinated offensive against the Myanmar regime since the end of October. In late November, the ethnic armed groups captured a junta base at the Kyin San Kyawt border crossing—one of five in the 105-Mile Trade Zone—as well as other military camps in the vicinity of Muse. MNDAA troops pose with weapons seized from a captured junta army base in northern Shan State on December 1 (The Kokang) Although the Brotherhood Alliance has yet to release a statement on its capture of the tactical base and the trade zone, a spokesperson for the TNLA confirmed that there were major clashes in the area on Thursday. “The battle was quite intense yesterday. The military forces in the Muse area deployed jet fighters and an Mi-35 attack helicopter, as well as cluster bombs and heavy artillery,” the spokesperson said, adding that the junta also used helicopters to send reinforcements and supplies to Muse. According to a woman living in Muse, serious fighting broke out early Friday morning near Tonkhan, a village that lies between Muse and the 105-Mile Trade Zone, which is located about six miles east of the border town. Some residents of the village managed to flee, but many others remained trapped there as the fighting continued, she added. While Muse itself has so far been spared, residents say they don’t expect that to remain the case for long. “The Brotherhood Alliance forces are currently at the Nam Khun village monastery, which is just outside of Muse, so the military has been firing relentlessly. Even the buildings in Muse are shaking, so everyone’s very afraid. I’d say the battles are drawing closer,” said one man. Trucks line up at the 105-Mile Trade Zone near Muse (Myanmar Now) According to another local, an artillery shell hit a transport truck loaded with cattle near the 105-Mile Trade Zone on Thursday, killing most of the animals and destroying the truck and a nearby tractor. “It happened yesterday, but we only heard about it today,” said the man, speaking to Myanmar Now on Friday afternoon. On November 27, a junta artillery shell killed three civilians, including two children, in the same area. The Brotherhood Alliance has seized control of several border towns since the start of its offensive, but none match the importance of Muse. The town handles nearly 90% of all cross-border trade with China, which was valued at more than US$2 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year. “Losing the 105-Mile Trade Zone is a big deal for the military. You could say that it’s their lifeline in northern Shan State,” said one local businessman.

Brotherhood Alliance captures major trade zone on China-Myanmar border

The 105-Mile Trade Zone near Muse is one of Myanmar’s most important trade hubs, handling around 90% of the country’s cross-border trade with China

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