Myanmar Junta Abandons Chinese Pipeline Station After Attacks

Natogyi forces

Myanmar’s military junta has been forced to abandon a key station on the China-backed oil and gas pipeline in Mandalay Region after a wave of coordinated resistance attacks, in a major escalation of anti-regime operations targeting strategic infrastructure.

On Thursday, resistance fighters launched simultaneous assaults on junta positions guarding the pipeline in Natogyi, Taung Tha, Myingyan and Ngazun townships. The most significant clash took place at an off-take station near Natogyi, where around 80 regime troops were stationed. Several soldiers were killed and one detained, while resistance forces suffered at least one casualty, according to local sources.

The junta deployed Chinese-made Y12 aircraft and fighter jets to defend the area, forcing the resistance to temporarily retreat. However, when fighters returned on Friday, the base had been deserted, with two bodies reportedly left behind.

“The station was abandoned. It’s a major blow to the junta’s control of the pipeline,” a resident told local media.

The Chinese pipeline network, which channels oil and gas from the Bay of Bengal through Myanmar into China’s Yunnan province, is one of Beijing’s most valuable energy lifelines. Its security has become increasingly fragile amid Myanmar’s intensifying civil conflict.

Resistance forces also attacked the nearby Wetlu police station, prompting regime airstrikes. Though they retreated initially, resistance groups returned the next day to resume assaults. Additional clashes in Myingyan Township resulted in the deaths of six resistance fighters in airstrikes, while junta positions in Taung Tha and Ngazun were targeted by drone and ground attacks.

In Ngazun, aerial bombing raids killed at least three civilians and injured five others, resistance groups reported.

Thursday’s attacks mirror a similar coordinated operation in August 2024, when resistance groups seized two pipeline guard posts. Analysts say these strikes reflect a strategic effort to disrupt the junta’s access to critical energy infrastructure and undermine its relationship with China.

While Myanmar’s military retains air power, its ground forces continue to lose territory to a growing alliance of resistance groups, raising questions about its ability to maintain control over key economic corridors.

-2025-05-19