Junta Brigadier General Aung Lwin who led the junta troops in their retreat from Mongkut (aka Mogok) Township has been brought before a military court and charged with disobeying orders, according to military sources.

He was brought before the Central Region Military Command Military Court on 6 August 2024, for retreating his troops and allowing Mongkut Township to fall to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and its allies on 24 July 2024, following fierce fighting.

The military source said: “He [Brigadier General Aung Lwin] returned from Mongkut, saying that he was suffering from back pain. Since he left behind his subordinate soldiers, it can be said that he was selfish. He has now said that he retreated because his military force was not strong enough.”

The TNLA and its allies finally took control of all three junta military bases in Mongkut Township late in the afternoon of 24 July, after first launching an offensive in the township on 25 June, according to the Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA).

The three captured bases all came under the junta’s Central Region Military Command. Each was an infantry battalion (IB) base, they were held by IB’s 78, 88 and 148.

During the battle for Mongkut the junta launched 21 airstrikes from jet fighters, nine airstrikes from Y-12 utility aircraft, fired heavy artillery 78 times and launched 18 rocket-propelled grenades.