Resistance Forces Seize Ground in Myanmar’s Bago

Mizzima

A sweeping offensive by Myanmar’s joint resistance forces has dramatically altered the battlefield in Bago Region, with fighting spreading across 26 townships and forcing the military to cede significant ground.

The campaign, launched in early January under the National Unity Government’s banner of the Sittaung River Valley Victory Operation, has seen six consecutive days of clashes along key transport routes and border areas. Resistance units are pressing forward on three critical fronts: the Yangon–Pyay highway, the old Yangon–Mandalay Road towards Naypyidaw, and the Rakhine–Bago border.

At the heart of the conflict lies Tawkyweinn, where the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and allied battalions have mounted a determined urban assault. Coordinated attacks on military outposts and checkpoints have left the junta’s Southern Military Command reeling. Local commanders report that more than 50 soldiers have been killed, with weapons and ammunition seized.

Ko Aung Hein of the Royal Peacock Battalion described the scale of operations: “From 9 January, fighting intensified around Tawkyweinn and Penwegon. Fourteen attacks were carried out, followed by 26 more in the days after.” His account underscores the breadth of resistance coordination, involving drone units, ethnic forces such as the Arakan Army, and local defence organisations.

Residents in Penwegon speak of relentless artillery fire and repeated airstrikes, with civilian casualties reported. The junta’s reliance on support troops rather than combat-ready forces has exposed weaknesses in its Southern Regional Command, according to defected officers.

The offensive has also targeted strategic sites in Padaung Township, where clashes claimed the lives of senior military figures. With Bago hosting several defence industry factories, the stakes are high: control of the region could reshape the balance of power in central Myanmar.

For the resistance, the campaign is both symbolic and tactical. Tawkyweinn’s capture would mark a significant blow to the military’s grip, while the broader push demonstrates unity among disparate groups long divided by geography and ethnicity.

As the fighting continues, the outcome remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the Bago offensive has opened a new chapter in Myanmar’s conflict—one that brings the struggle closer to the gates of Naypyidaw and signals a growing challenge to the junta’s authority.

-2025-01-19