BANGKOK: Myanmar’s military-backed government says it has retaken control of two towns near the country’s borders with India and Thailand, marking a significant advance in the civil war as it seeks to regain control of regions long held by resistance forces.
A report to the state Myanmar Alinn The newspaper on Thursday said Tonzang, near the border with India, was captured by the army on Wednesday after 10 days of operations to retake it. The newspaper published photos of soldiers retaking the city in front of the administrative office of the municipality and other departments.
This report came a day later Myanmar Alinn reported that the military on Tuesday retook control of Mawtaung, a border town strategically important for trade with Thailand, after a two-week operation.
The army’s recapture of Tonzang in northwestern Chin state and Mawtaung in southern Tanintharyi region comes as the army has regained the upper hand in the nationwide conflict since mid-2025, following Chinese-brokered ceasefires and a troop surge fueled by recruitment.
The moves also come a month after Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military-backed government, invited the country’s armed resistance groups to fresh peace talks.
Chin and Tanintharyi have seen intense conflict since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. After peaceful demonstrations were suppressed with deadly force, many opponents of military rule took up arms and many parts of the country are now embroiled in civil war.
