Ta’ang National Liberation Army told to surrender four towns in Shan State

Sources close to the military told DVB that regime officials told leaders of the ethnic Palaung Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to relinquish their control over northern Shan State’s Namhkam, Namtu, Mongngawt and Monglon towns, during a meeting between TNLA and the regime in Kunming, China, on May 12.

A regime official told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the TNLA refused Naypyidaw’s demand to hand over the four remaining towns located 42-133 miles (67-214 km) north and west of the regional capital Lashio Township.

But no demand was made for Namhsan and Manton, which are included in the designated Palaung Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) of northern Shan. Neither the regime in Naypyidaw nor the TNLA have commented on the meeting brokered by China.

A source close to the regime’s Northeastern Regional Military Command (RMC) in Lashio told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the TNLA released 85 regime troops and 25 police officers who were taken prisoner on May 5.

The 110 regime captives were taken by the TNLA during Operation 1027, which began on Oct. 27, 2023 and ended with a China-brokered ceasefire agreement signed on Oct. 29.

The TNLA political wing, the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF), sent a congratulatory message to Min Aung Hlaing on April 15 – five days after he was inaugurated as Myanmar’s president by a pro-military parliament resulting from “sham” elections that ended on Jan. 25.

This message was met with criticism from Ta’ang civil society groups. Members of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), which remained in TNLA-controlled territory, were transferred to National Unity Government (NUG)-controlled territory in response.

Kutkai, located 47 miles (75 km) north of Lashio, was completely seized from the TNLA by its purported ally, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), on March 15.

As stipulated in the ceasefire agreement brokered by China with the regime, the TNLA handed back northern Shan’s Momeik and Mandalay Region’s Mogok on Nov. 30. Momeik is located 170 miles (273 km) west of Lashio, and Mogok is 124 miles (200 km) north of Mandalay.

The TNLA lost control of northern Shan’s Hsipaw, Kyaukme and Nawnghkio towns to regime forces during a counteroffensive last year. The three towns are located 55-107 miles (88-172 km) southwest of Lashio.