Yangon — Myanmar’s military leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, has issued a warning to civilians in areas recently seized by ethnic minority armed groups, advising them to brace for upcoming military counterattacks, state media reported on Wednesday.
The military has lost significant ground in northern Shan state, near the China border, to a coalition of ethnic armed groups and “People’s Defence Forces” opposed to the junta’s 2021 coup. These groups have captured a regional military command and taken control of key border trade routes, leading to rare public criticism of the junta’s leadership from its supporters.
In a statement made on Tuesday in the Shan state capital, Taunggyi, Min Aung Hlaing accused the armed groups of using “administrative buildings and innocent civilians as human shields” and advised residents of occupied towns and villages to be vigilant to avoid exploitation.
The junta is facing widespread armed opposition and has been accused of severe human rights abuses, including using air and artillery strikes against civilian areas. This week, the junta officially labeled the three main ethnic minority armed groups in Shan state as “terrorist” organizations, though the designation will not alter ongoing combat with the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). Those supporting or contacting these groups now face potential legal action.
The conflict has also spread closer to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where a rocket attack on Tuesday resulted in building damage and injuries, marking a rare assault on an urban area. An opinion piece in the Global New Light of Myanmar criticized the military’s setbacks in Shan state, suggesting a growing threat to Mandalay if the situation worsens.
