Myanmar military, allies retakes town captured by Pa-O, Karenni forces

Resistance forces who took control of the town of Hsihseng in southern Shan State last week were forced to retreat on Tuesday after coming under heavy fire, according to sources in the area. Hsihseng, located about halfway between Shan State capital Taunggyi and Karenni State capital Loikaw, was captured by a coalition of ethnic Pa-O and Karenni forces last Thursday. On Tuesday, regime troops and members of an allied ethnic militia, the Pa-O National Army (PNA), regained control of two infantry battalion (IB) bases in the town and fortified their defences, as clashes continued despite the withdrawal of the anti-junta forces. “There’s still fighting at the IB 423 and 424 bases,” said Oak Kyi, the leader of a group assisting local residents displaced by the conflict, speaking to Myanmar Now on Wednesday. Displaced residents of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone on January 27 (Pa-O Swee Media) “They [the military] did not carry out a ground assault, but launched airstrikes and artillery attacks. In other parts of the town, the resistance forces are still attacking,” he added. He estimated that anti-regime fighters were still present in around 60 percent of the town. The group that led last week’s takeover of Hsihseng, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), is a signatory to the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and had not previously engaged in hostilities with the regime that seized power in February 2021. Together with its allies, the PNLA captured the IB 423 and IB 424 bases, the town’s court and police station, and several administrative buildings. This effectively gave it full control of the town, which is part of the Pao-O Self-Administered Zone (SAZ). On Wednesday, the group reported that it had discovered the bodies of around 50 junta soldiers who had been killed during clashes in the northern part of Hsihseng the day before. It also said that it expected the regime to target civilians as part of its operations in the Pa-O SAZ, which is administered by the political wing of the PNA, the Pa-O National Organisation. “We acknowledge that our military actions may subject the people to dire consequences from the military council’s troops. However, we have made this choice because we refuse to allow our people to suffer under the military dictatorship,” it said in a statement. Although the military is currently relying mainly on airstrikes and artillery fire to reassert control over Hsihseng, there have also been reports that the PNA has been recruiting more soldiers to join the fight. Tens of thousands of people are believed to have fled the area since January 20, when the conflict began after the PNA commandeered a PNLA weapons convoy near the village of Sanhpu in Hopong Township, which is also part of the Pa-O SAZ. The PNA is estimated to have as many as 3,000 troops under its command, while the PNLA has around 400. According to local news reports, a junta military aircraft also bombed a monastery in the village of Loihtwe in Hsihseng Township on Tuesday. Details regarding casualties and damage were not available at the time of reporting.

Myanmar military, allies retakes town captured by Pa-O, Karenni forces

The anti-junta groups continue to battle regime forces in Hsihseng, despite being forced to withdraw after days of heavy air and artillery attacks

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