Mining Frenzy Devastates Mogoke as TNLA Prepares to Hand Town Back to Junta

Excessive mining by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and affiliated Chinese mining companies in Mogoke, a ruby town in northern Mandalay Region, is devastating the local environment just as the ethnic army prepares to hand the town back to the junta under a China-brokered truce, residents said. In particular, they pointed to a sharp acceleration in mining on the town’s golf course and in neighboring areas.

With the help of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), the armed wing of the civilian National Unity Government, the ethnic army seized Mogoke from the junta in July 2024 after a month of fighting. The TNLA’s control is set to end soon, however, due to the agreed handover, triggering what residents say is a last-minute rush to extract gems.

Under intense pressure from the Chinese government, the TNLA was forced in late October to sign a Beijing-mediated truce with the regime, agreeing to hand Mogoke and the nearby northern Shan State town of Mongmit back to the regime.