via the Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime says it has regained control of Banmauk, a town in northern Sagaing Region, after months of fighting against resistance forces.

Banmauk was seized by the National Unity Government’s People’s Defense Force (PDF) and its ally, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), in September last year following a five-day offensive. The town lies close to Indaw Township on the Kachin border, which remains under PDF control.

The junta announced on Sunday that its troops had retaken Banmauk after a four-month counteroffensive. Officials claimed care was taken to avoid damaging civilian infrastructure, though local reports suggest much of the town has been devastated by artillery, drone strikes and air raids. Resistance groups say two 500lb bombs dropped in December destroyed the market.

According to the military, 69 clashes during the campaign caused casualties on both sides. It reported seizing 27 weapons and recovering the bodies of resistance fighters, whom it labelled “terrorists”. A PDF fighter confirmed that anti-regime forces had withdrawn, though skirmishes continue around the town.

The junta-aligned Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) also declared Banmauk retaken. Analysts say the town’s capture is strategically significant for the SNA, which operates gold mines west of Banmauk. These mines are its main source of revenue, and the militia is believed to have joined forces with the junta to secure them.

While the loss of Banmauk is not seen as a decisive setback for the PDF, it underscores the regime’s determination to claw back territory in Sagaing, a stronghold of resistance activity. Meanwhile, the PDF and KIA continue to hold Indaw, captured last April, and are reportedly close to seizing the nearby district-level town of Katha.

The battle for Banmauk highlights the complex alliances shaping Myanmar’s civil conflict, where control of resources such as gold mines can be as decisive as military strength. For residents, however, the cost has been measured in destroyed homes, shattered livelihoods and yet another town caught in the crossfire.

-2024-02-10