Myanmar’s military government has announced the recapture of Nawnghkio, a key town in Shan State, from ethnic rebel forces following nearly a year of intense fighting, marking a rare battlefield success for the regime amid the ongoing civil war.
The military claimed victory in an official statement released Thursday, declaring that government forces had regained full control of Nawnghkio after “566 armed engagements within 11 operational months.” The town, located on a crucial highway connecting central Myanmar to China, had been under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) since July 2024.
State-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar featured a rare full-page report, including photographs of troops celebrating with raised rifles. The military acknowledged early setbacks, stating that both officers and enlisted men had “sacrificed their lives,” but credited a combination of air and ground assaults for the eventual success.
Nawnghkio lies approximately 40 kilometers from Pyin Oo Lwin, the site of the country’s main military officer training academy, and about 80 kilometers from Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city.
The TNLA, a member of the powerful Three Brotherhood Alliance, has not confirmed the military’s claims. In a brief statement, the group admitted that it had become “difficult to continue administrative work in the town due to the heavy offensive,” and that civil services had been relocated to safer areas.
Since the October 2023 launch of a major joint offensive by rebel groups across the north and northeast, Myanmar’s ruling junta has faced significant territorial losses. However, analysts note that the military retains control over major urban centers and continues to leverage its air superiority to limit rebel advances.
In April, the city of Lashio—also seized by rebels—was handed back to the junta following a Chinese-brokered agreement.
Myanmar has been mired in civil war since a February 2021 military coup overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces, including the People’s Defence Force (PDF), have since coalesced against the military regime.
The Three Brotherhood Alliance—comprising the TNLA, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army—has long fought for greater autonomy and remains one of the most formidable alliances opposing military rule.
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