MNDAA presses junta to stop interrogating former allies in Lashio

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) has urged the Myanmar junta not to detain or question its former associates in Lashio, a northern Shan State town the group lost following China’s intervention, residents said on September 2.During talks at the Two Elephants Hotel in Lashio, the MNDAA called for the release of former associates.“Junta soldiers and police have been questioning people who once worked with the Kokang Army in Lashio,” a source familiar with the talks told Myanmar Now, referring to the MNDAA by its common name. “The Kokang side mainly pressed them to stop, without raising many other issues.” The MNDAA and sources with direct knowledge of the talks stressed that the Lashio handover deal included a provision barring action against those who had served under Kokang rule. Residents said that since August, authorities have carried out overnight guest checks under the pretext of security and interrogated individuals on suspicion. Despite speculation that the MNDAA might cede Hseni Town, the issue was not raised during the September 2 talks, sources close to the group said. Since surrendering Lashio six months ago, the MNDAA has held at least six rounds of meetings with the junta, though none of the outcomes have been disclosed.Lashio, northern Shan State’s largest town and a key trading hub on the road to China, fell under junta control earlier this year after Beijing brokered a ceasefire with the MNDAA and its allies. The loss was a major setback for the MNDAA, which had briefly gained ground during last year’s offensive in northern Shan.China’s influence has loomed large over the conflict—pressuring ethnic armed groups to halt advances that threatened border stability and Chinese investments. Since then, the junta has tightened its grip on Lashio, bolstered security measures, and sought to rein in MNDAA influence through ongoing, but opaque negotiations.In earlier talks, the group protested a July 30 airstrike on Kutkai’s Ward No. 2 that killed seven people—including a Kokang officer—and wounded at least 13, pressing the junta on prisoner releases as well. Lashio Township comprises 12 wards and over 70 village tracts, with a population of more than 300,000. While the MNDAA handed over the urban wards of Lashio town, it still controls over 70 village tracts in Hseni District. Lashio is home to a range of military units, including a Medical Battalion, Service Battalion, Logistics Battalion 626, Education Battalion 8, Infantry Battalion 68, Armored Battalion, Ordnance Battalion, Motor Transport Battalion, Construction Battalion, and a Communication Battalion. The junta retains authority to station troops in certain infantry and logistics battalions under the Northeastern Command, and is negotiating with MNDAA to expand its presence in battalions still controlled by the MNDAA, though no agreement has been reached, a source close to the group told Myanmar Now. Over the six months of junta control, hospitals and schools in Lashio Town have reopened, but electricity, internet, and private banking remain inconsistent. The latest talks highlight an uneasy balance in Lashio, where the junta seeks to consolidate authority while the MNDAA pushes to protect its former associates and preserve limited influence. With China’s shadow looming over both sides and negotiations yielding little transparency, the fate of Lashio, and the surrounding Kokang strongholds, remains unsettled.

MNDAA presses junta to stop interrogating former allies in Lashio

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