Resistance Armies Poised to Move On to Central Myanmar

 The Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA) is poised to move on to central Myanmar after fighting in Karen and northern Shan states alongside allied ethnic armies, its commander Maung Saungkha announced on the anniversary of Operation 1027.

“The BLPA will soon be based in Anyar [central Myanmar] and launch operations there,” the poet-turned-revolutionary said on social media on Oct. 27. “I believe and expect people in Anyar will welcome us.”

Established two months after the coup in 2021, the BPLA boasts around 1,200 troops.

BPLA spokesman Ko Lin Lin told The Irrawaddy the group plans to launch military operations in Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay.

As an army representing ethnic Bamar, the group aims to drive junta troops out of the region, where Bamar people make up the majority, he said.

“We have prepared for more than three years to base ourselves in central Myanmar,” he added.

The group will cooperate with local People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups loyal to the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) as well as other resistance groups, according to Maung Saungkha.

“In conducting military operations in Anyar, the BPLA will give priority to forging unity among resistance groups,” said Ko Lin Lin. “We are currently mobilizing smaller groups which are not under the NUG’s control and will then give them proper training. This will be followed by military operations.”

“We invite young people in Anyar who wish to fight the regime to join us,” he added.

But the BPLA declined to give details of its immediate targets or say if it has reached consensus with any anti-regime groups in the area yet.

Another armed group, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is now also gearing up to conduct more offensives against the regime in central Myanmar after fighting alongside ethnic armies in northern Shan State and Mandalay Region during Operation 1027.

In the second phase of the operation, the PLA fought in northern Shan State as well as Madaya, Thabeikkyin, and Mogoke townships in Mandalay. Now it plans to launch military operations in Sagaing Region with new partners, PLA General Secretary Ni Ni Kyaw told The Irrawaddy.

“Besides the [NUG’s] Defense Ministry, there are many other local groups in Sagaing Region, and we will fight alongside them. The most important thing is to root out the common enemy, the fascist military, so we will fight together with them in unity and mutual respect,” he added.

While the majority welcome the groups’ planned penetration into the resistance stronghold of central Myanmar, some are concerned that it will create friction with established anti-regime groups there.

Ko Soe Win Swe, an official with grassroots pro-democracy platform Sagaing Forum, said: “We were fighting the regime even when we only had rudimentary hunting rifles and homemade bombs. The revolution will grow stronger if revolutionary groups from other region come and fight in our region,”

“But if they have a political agenda apart from fighting the regime, there must be preliminary negotiations and discussions,” he warned. “Otherwise things could get complicated.”

Ko Zeya Lwin, who is in charge of the 96 Soldiers PDF’s Anyar branch, welcomed the two armies’ plan to launch operations in central Myanmar, saying if they can cooperate effectively, it will give them military advantages.

One military observer predicted more battles for control of towns after the rainy season if troops loyal to the NUG are returing to Anyar.

“The fighting will intensify in the coming dry season,” he said. “Groups properly equipped with arms and weapons are coming back to central Myanmar. Military Region 1 of the [NUG] Defense Ministry is also mobilizing troops after seizing Pinlebu [in Sagaing Region], so you can expect battles for control of towns.”