Fighting rages as Operation 1027 turns two months

By Admin 27 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
27 December 2023, Sittwe

Operation 1027, an offensive launched by the Brotherhood Alliance against Myanmar’s military regime, turned two months old on Wednesday.

Since Operation 1027 was launched on October 27, the ethnic military alliance consisting of the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has seized more than 400 junta outposts and 10 towns in northern Shan State, including some crucial for Myanmar’s border trade with China.

China has since mediated talks between the regime and the Brotherhood Alliance. Fighting between the two sides continues to rage, however, with the regime calling upon aerial and artillery support, as well as using human shields to defend its bases, said the Brotherhood Alliance.

“During heightened military tensions, there might be a need for tactical moves and meeting the enemy for talks. We did these out of necessity. We haven’t lost track of our objective,” TNLA general secretary Brigadier-General Tar Phone Kyaw was quoted by the BBC as saying.

But the Brotherhood Alliance is not satisfied with the extent of other ethnic armed organisations’ participation in the offensive, added Tar Phone Kyaw, saying “there is tremendous pressure from China.”

The junta’s attempt to seek help from China to pressure the Brotherhood Alliance into deescalating the fighting might not succeed, said political analyst U Than Soe Naing.

“The talks happened because the regime asked China to interfere. However, the talks made no progress. I think [the Brotherhood Alliance] will continue to fight to end military dictatorship,” he said.

In a December 12 statement following its meeting with the regime, the Brotherhood Alliance said it would never ignore the political objectives desired by all Myanmar people, and would never reverse course in this regard.

Political analysts have stressed the need for the resistance forces to step up their offensive against the regime, which finds itself at risk of overstretching its forces in a multi-front war of unprecedented proportions.