Tatmadaw regains control of villages along key transport routes

COALITION armed in­surgents operating under the banner of the PDF, de­scribed as proxies of the terrorist groups NUG and CRPH, have temporarily taken control of towns and villages in certain regions and states to disrupt gov­ernment administrative machinery and carry out various destructive acts for their own interests. In response, Tatmadaw col­umns have been conduct­ing counter-terrorism op­erations.

Seeking to advance their own interests, coali­tion PDF terrorists tempo­rarily seized certain towns, villages and areas, carrying out acts of terrorism and blocking vital transport links essential for region­al development. They es­tablished defensive bases along public transport routes, extorted transit fees from travellers, arbitrarily detained and tortured civil­ians, and killed those who refused to comply. Conse­quently, local communities faced severe disruptions to transport and the move­ment of goods, resulting in acute shortages of food and essential household items, interruptions in the supply of medicines and emergency medical supplies, and shortages of raw materials for local businesses. Finished goods were also unable to reach markets. As a result, the daily socioeconomic lives of local ethnic communities deteriorated sharply, and residents suffered greatly from the abuses committed by the insurgents.

To address the situa­tion, Tatmadaw columns made sustained efforts to reopen vital transport routes temporarily con­trolled by the terrorists. They gradually regained control of towns, villages and road networks one af­ter another, fully securing and reopening the Man­dalay-Madaya-Thabeik­k y i n -Ta g a u n g - H t i ­g y a i n g - K a t h a - I n ­daw-Mawlu-Nantsiau­ng-Mohnyin-Mogaung– Myitkyina route on 6 May 2026. This enabled the swift and smooth movement of goods and trade within the region and supported the recovery and revitalization of public services, including education and healthcare.

To eliminate insur­gent outposts along the Indaw-Wuntho-Kawlin and Indaw-Maugon-Kyauktan routes, which were report­edly used to intimidate and extort travellers, Tatmad­aw columns systematical­ly organized and deployed coordinated forces from Indaw town to conduct phased area security op­erations. During these suc­cessive operations, troops recaptured Lenaung and Kanni villages on 5 October, followed by Pintthachay, Meza, Lezin and Nantthe villages on 9 October. Op­erations continued with the capture of a terrorist camp near Kyauktaw village and Kyeinchaung village on 12 October, Pein-inn village on 13 October, Hsingon village on 14 October, and Nyaung­kaing and Htantabin villag­es on 16 October. Finally, on 18 October, security forces successfully retook and se­cured Namkham, Lepyin and Maugon villages.

Tatmadaw personnel fought tenaciously to re­claim these settlements along the transport corri­dors. During a total of 32 major and minor armed clashes with the terrorists, troops recovered 18 bod­ies of enemy fighters, along with 19 assorted firearms, ammunition and other mil­itary equipment.

During their tempo­rary control of the area, coalition terrorists dug communication trenches throughout the villages and fortified residential compounds and fences with bunkers to mount de­termined defensive opera­tions and carry out various destructive acts. They also blocked transport corri­dors, extorted money from passing passenger vehicles and cargo trucks, tortured and killed civilians, and for­cibly recruited residents into their ranks. These ac­tions severely disrupted the movement of goods, drove up commodity prices and impoverished the popula­tion, affecting all aspects of daily life.

Consequently, Tatmad­aw columns are working closely with local commu­nities to carry out essen­tial rehabilitation work and restore public healthcare and education services to revitalize socioeconomic life. Security operations are continuing with increased momentum. — 100/ST