Myanmar army retakes key Sagaing town amid deadly clashes

The Myanmar military has seized back control of Maw Luu, a strategic town in northern Sagaing Region, as its counteroffensive against resistance forces intensifies.

Troops entered Maw Luu on Tuesday morning after heavy fighting in nearby Hsi Paing village, locals said. Around 200 soldiers advanced in two columns, supported by artillery and suicide drones, forcing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), People’s Defense Force (PDF) and All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) to retreat. The town had been under resistance control since December 2023.

The recapture comes just days after regime forces retook Indaw, 32 kilometres to the south, marking a string of gains following earlier advances in Tagaung, Tigyaing and Katha. Analysts say the military’s renewed manpower and use of drones have shifted the balance after years of resistance successes.

Residents had fled Maw Luu ahead of the assault, fearing escalation. Locals now expect regime units to push further north to link up with forces in Kachin State.

Meanwhile, in Mandalay Region, regime troops ambushed a vehicle carrying fighters from the Taungtha PDF on Monday, killing 11. Pro-regime channels claimed a tip-off led to the attack and published images of soldiers burning bodies and a vehicle. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.

The ambush highlights the regime’s scorched-earth tactics in Myingyan District, where villages have been shelled, looted and torched since March. Locals describe a pincer movement, with troops advancing from Natogyi and Taungtha, sparking clashes along the way. Many villagers have already fled to cities to escape the violence.

Resistance groups admit setbacks, pointing to collapsed defences in Mandalay that allowed regime forces to penetrate Sagaing along the Irrawaddy River. The military’s recent gains mark a reversal after three years in which armed groups had seized swathes of territory near the Sagaing-Kachin border.

For civilians, the renewed offensive means more displacement and uncertainty. For the regime, it signals a determined push to reclaim lost ground, using new tactics and technology to reassert control.

-2026-05-06