Fighting continues in Lashio as Kokang army moves to take full control

Clashes continued in Lashio on Friday, a day after the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) announced that it had captured the junta’s Northeastern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in northern Shan State’s largest city. The MNDAA, popularly known as the Kokang army, has taken control of around half of the city, including its airport, since entering its downtown core yesterday, according to residents. “The Kokang army is now close to City Hall, which was occupied by junta troops. They have already captured Lashio Airport and Lashio Motel,” a woman living in the city told Myanmar Now on Friday. “They have also taken over Lashio Hospital in Ward 1 and Myoma Market in Ward 3,” she added. Video footage posted online by MNDAA troops showed clashes taking place near the city’s main court and general administration office, as well as near the Lashio Motel. One video shows the body of a junta soldier apparently killed at the entrance of the Innwa Bank in Ward 3, which is located near Lashio General Hospital in Ward 1. The City Hall is located in Ward 2, less than a mile from the hospital. MNDAA pushed into the city from the south, north, and southwest after capturing the junta’s Infantry Battalion (IB) 41 and Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 507 bases, residents said. Regime soldiers stationed in the city have dispersed, with some taking up positions inside the City Hall, sources said. A map shows the location of junta positions around Lashio and major sites in the city At a press conference on Thursday night, junta spokesperson Maj Zaw Min said that the military remained in control of the city despite the presence of MNDAA forces. “The terrorist MNDAA group, posing as civilians, have infiltrated Lashio, but the Tatmadaw troops are clearing them out,” he said, referring to Myanmar’s military by its formal name. He acknowledged, however, that junta troops had withdrawn from a number of security posts around the city. According to Zin Yaw, a former Myanmar army captain who defected to the resistance after the 2021 coup, the military still has some control over the Northeastern RMC headquarters. “As far as I know, the entire headquarters has not fallen to the MNDAA yet. There are still junta troops from Military Operations Command (MOC) 1 headquarters and four battalions from MOC 14 still holding their ground,” he said. Other sources also claimed that the MNDAA was still advancing on the junta’s IB 68 and LIB 522 bases north and south of the city. Meanwhile, residents said that in most areas, people were staying in their homes to avoid being caught in any sudden exchange of fire. “We are now hiding in our house, lying on the floor. They have been firing at each other since yesterday. No one can leave their homes,” said a man from Ward 12, where fighting broke out near the Mangsu Pagoda at around 10am on Friday. Intense fighting was reported at a monastery adjacent to the pagoda on Thursday, prompting one resident who spoke to Myanmar Now to flee the city. “I called a friend and asked him to check on my shop, but he said he didn’t dare to go outside,” said the man who fled.

Fighting continues in Lashio as Kokang army moves to take full control

As the MNDAA captures key positions around the city, the junta continues to claim that it is in control

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