Kyaw Hsan Hlaing
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4th November 2023
‘#operation1027’: A Turning-Point For #Myanmar’s #Resistance Struggle? presented by VOA Burmese
Some Myanmar observers hope that the coordinated offensive in Shan State will catalyze wider changes, and even lead to the collapse of the military administration.
“Operation 1027” was launched by the Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BTA), which comprises the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA). Its goal is to combat the junta’s armed forces and allied militias in northern Shan State, close to the Myanmar-China border.
The operation, titled after the date of its commencement, has several military goals. In a statement announcing its offensive, the 3BTA said that the operation was “driven by our collective desire to safeguard the lives of civilians, assert our right of self-defense, maintain control of our territory, and respond resolutely to ongoing artillery attacks and airstrikes” from the Myanmar military. It added that it was “dedicated to eradicating the oppressive military dictatorship, a shared aspiration of the entire Myanmar populace.”
The 3BTA said that it was also intended to suppress the escalating instances of online gambling and fraud throughout the China-Myanmar border region, and to clamp down on the criminal syndicates and junta-affiliated militias that are responsible for them.
Established in 2017, the 3BHA collectively includes a significant fighting force. The MNDAA has around 6,000 members under arms, in addition to around 8,000 for the TNLA. The AA has around 5,000-6,000 soldiers deployed in Kachin State and the northern part of Shan State, in addition to the estimated 30,000 fighters that it has in Rakhine State, its main base of operations. This implies that around 20,000 troops are now taking part in “Operation 1027.” Additionally, some battalions led by the Bamar People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Liberation Army, both of which have been established since the 2021 coup, are also involved in the operation.
Read more- https://thediplomat.com/2023/10/operation-1027-a-turning-point-for-myanmars-resistance-struggle/