By Ra Wai / MPA
Bago, Myanmar — Resistance forces in Myanmar’s Bago Region launched a massive, coordinated offensive against 14 military targets along the strategic old Yangon-Mandalay highway on Friday (January 9), claiming to have killed at least 50 junta soldiers and temporarily seizing control of a town.
The operation, described by the Bago Region Military Command as the “Sittaung River Valley Aung Myin Operation,” struck a series of military checkpoints, railway security posts, and administrative bases across Kyauktaga, Nyaunglebin, and Okktwin townships.
Town Temporarily Seized A spokesperson for the Bago Region Military Command confirmed that resistance fighters successfully took temporary control of Taw Kywe Inn (also known as Aung Myin town) in Kyauktaga township.
“We launched simultaneous operations covering the entire stretch of the old highway,” the official told MPA. “We controlled Taw Kywe Inn from 3:00 AM until approximately noon. We achieved 100 percent of our tactical objectives before withdrawing as planned.”
During the occupation, resistance forces reportedly burned down the junta’s administrative machinery, including the General Administration Department office, the Election Commission office, and the local police station. Eight civilians who had been detained by the military at the police station were reportedly rescued and released.
Airstrikes and Heavy Weaponry The military junta responded to the offensive with significant firepower. Resistance sources reported that the military launched at least four airstrikes and deployed ground reinforcements to the contested areas.
Despite the heavy response, the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) claimed to have seized a significant cache of weapons and ammunition. Several resistance fighters were reported injured during the clashes.
Strategic Escalation The offensive involved a broad coalition of anti-junta forces, including multiple PDF battalions under the Bago Region Command’s strategies 23, 24, 25, and 26, alongside local defense teams. The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Battalion 9 also joined the operation, specifically targeting a military position at a railway bridge in Thayagone.
The attacks on the old Yangon-Mandalay highway represent a significant escalation in a region that serves as a critical logistical artery for the junta, connecting the commercial capital Yangon with central Myanmar.
The Bago Region Military Command has issued a warning to civilians to exercise extreme caution and avoid military installations, signaling that operations in the region are likely to intensify.
Note: MPA could not independently verify the casualty figures reported by the resistance forces.
