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Myanmar’s junta re-entered a northern city near the Chinese border on Tuesday abandoned by a rebel army after months of occupation, residents told Radio Free Asia.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, is one of many insurgent groups fighting the junta that seized power in a 2021 coup for autonomy and democracy. It controls parts of northern Shan state and until recently, the long-embattled town of Lashio. Frequent conflict and airstrikes have forced much of the population to flee and reduced some wards to looted rubble.
Junta soldiers re-entered Lashio early on Tuesday morning to reclaim the city abandoned by the MNDAA days prior, one resident said.
“From near city hall to the city entrance, it was full of cars, at least 50. Some soldiers got down from the cars wearing military uniforms and black masks, then I saw they had machine guns mounted on the car,” he said, identifying the group as Divisions 33, 99 and 77.
“I think they’re waiting for troops to be fully equipped before they re-deploy.”
The MNDAA removed personnel, offices and equipment from the city on Friday, making final preparations on Tuesday, residents said. Some added that they were concerned about the large numbers of soldiers entering the city.
The MNDAA and junta entered into China-brokered ceasefire negotiations on Jan. 18 in Yunnan province’s city of Kunming and agreed to retreat from Lashio within three months, they said.
MNDAA and junta representatives met with China’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ representative for Asia Deng Xijun at Two Elephants Hotel in Lashio to discuss the handover, residents said.
The junta has not released any information about the transition.
When asked about reports on the MNDAA’s withdrawal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun neither confirmed nor denied it.
“China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors. China’s position on the Myanmar issue is very clear,” he said during a regular briefing on Tuesday.
“We follow the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, support Myanmar in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, support various parties in Myanmar in carrying out friendly consultation toward political reconciliation, and support Myanmar in resuming the political transition process.”
The MNDAA captured Lashio in August 2024 as part of Operation 1027, a joint mission with two other insurgent armies to capture land from the Myanmar military.
RFA’s attempts to contact the junta, MNDAA and Chinese Embassy of Myanmar went unanswered.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.