Image Credits - Burma News International
Ethnic armed groups in Myanmar have launched coordinated attacks on the Myanmar Military junta on Friday across Northern Shan state. The armed groups that carried out the attacks consisted of three ethnic groups that are collectively known as the Three Brotherhood Alliances which are among the many armed groups that oppose the Myanmar Military Junta known as Tatmadaw, which seized power in Myanmar in February of 2021 by attempting a coup. The offensive launched by the ethnic alliance has been named ‘Operation 1027’.
The attacks were carried out through a coordinated offensive in the northern Shan state near the border with China. The Three Brotherhood Alliance targeted military outposts, checkpoints, toll gates, police stations, and border crossings that are controlled by the Junta. The alliance had used artillery, rockets, and small arms and claimed they had the backing of local resistance fighters and civilians.
They managed to seize multiple strategic points and positions. In addition, they have disrupted trade and communication between Myanmar and China which is reportedly the main aide of the Junta, and have taken control over a key China-Myanmar trade route. The Three Brotherhood asserted that the purpose of their cooperative effort over the offensive was to substantially eradicate the oppressive Military Junta, safeguard civilians, assert their right to self-defense, maintain control of the territory, and respond to the Junta’s attacks.
Myanmar is currently under the rule of the Myanmar Military Junta which is backed by China. The junta came into power in the year 2021 overthrowing the existing government of Myanmar through the coup d’etat. The Junta has been conducting regular attacks and airstrikes over civilian areas, Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps, and local resistance groups.
Following the junta’s seizure of power, the oppressive regime has prompted thousands of individuals to flee their home country, seeking refuge in neighboring nations such as India. This mass exodus is a response to the indiscriminate violence perpetrated against civilians, which includes airstrikes on residential areas, the deliberate destruction of homes, and the targeting of escaping civilians through gunfire.
The three brotherhood alliances, in conjunction with various local resistance movements and the People’s Defense Forces, served as the final bastion of resistance against the oppressive Military Junta. They are unwavering in their commitment to eliminate and overthrow the junta. Over the past two years, they have executed multiple offensives against the junta. Paradoxically, despite these efforts, the junta has managed to consolidate its power, largely owing to substantial support from China, which is actively involved in destabilizing the region by financing various terrorist and militant groups, thereby extending its influence.
Myanmar’s significance as an unseen state has become increasingly evident. This is because it is deemed strategically crucial, given its pivotal role in maintaining stability and peace in the South Asian region.