National Unity Government meets Spring Revolution Alliance; PDF ‘kills’ 21 regime troops in Mogok & Momeik

National Unity Government meets Spring Revolution Alliance

The National Unity Government (NUG) and the Spring Revolution Alliance (SRA) stated on Saturday that it held an online meeting on Feb. 27 to begin dialogue between the civilian leadership and members of the armed resistance to the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. The SRA is a coalition of 19 armed resistance groups that are not under NUG command, according to its founding statement made on Dec. 15.

Maung Saungkha, the chief commander of the Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), shared on social media on Feb. 27 that the two sides agreed to set aside differences and solve conflict between allied resistance forces through dialogue. NUG Minister of Defence Yee Mon discussed his ministry’s policy on local defence forces and sharing intelligence with the SRA, according to an NUG statement on Feb. 28.

Min Han Htet, the SRA spokesperson, told DVB that the newly-established force already has 10,000 members from 19 armed groups operating under a central command, via a “leading committee,” which consists of representatives from all 19 member armed groups. The BPLA, founded by Maung Saungkha in April 2021, is a founding member of the SRA, according to the Dec. 15 statement.

People’s Defence Force ‘kills’ 21 regime troops

The NUG stated on Saturday that 21 regime troops were killed by the People’s Defence Force (PDF) during fighting in Mandalay Region’s Mogok town and Shan State’s Momeik town over the last two months of fighting. Momeik is located 170 miles (273 km) west of the regional capital Lashio, and 28 miles (45 km) northeast of Mogok, which is 124 miles (200 km) north of Mandalay.

The NUG statement on Feb. 28 added that the PDF under its command have been attacking regime positions outside of Mogok and Momeik towns since December. Both towns were seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in July 2024 along with its allies in the PDF. But the TNLA handed over control of Mogok and Momeik to regime forces on Nov. 30, as part of a China-brokered ceasefire deal.

The PDF in Mandalay, which has fought alongside the TNLA since the launch of Operation 1027 on Oct. 27, 2023, announced on Feb. 25 that it is now a “Special Mobile Division” under the NUG Ministry of Defence. The PDF was established in Mandalay on Feb. 25, 2021, according to its fifth anniversary statement. Mogok residents told DVB that regime administration officials returned to the town in January.