The junta is dispatching reinforcements to its troops stationed in Mongyai Town, Shan State, while attempting to block fuel and supply routes to Lashio Town.
Since September 9, junta forces stationed in Mongyai have been deployed near Narsang, Naryang, and Nawngpyit villages in the Hoya Village Tract. Additionally, they have begun constructing a checkpoint to block routes that could transport fuel and supplies to Lashio Town, controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
“It seems the junta is planning to cut off fuel and supplies to Lashio, as its troops are now stationed along a route directly connected to the town. This deployment could either be preparation for an offensive or to set up a checkpoint to block the supply route. Right now, junta forces are holding positions around Narsang, Naryang, and Nawngpyit, and it looks like they may want to establish a checkpoint near Mongyai Town if possible,” a Mongyai resident told SHAN.
At around 8:00 p.m. on September 9, the junta conducted at least three drone bombings around Mongyai, aiming to intimidate locals. While no damage was reported, residents remain concerned for their safety.
Additionally, on the morning of September 10, junta artillery units stationed in Mongyai conducted arbitrate shelling, locals said.
Meanwhile, a junta reinforcement convoy consisting of at least 10 vehicles from Kyethi Township arrived in Mongyai on September 9.
Currently, MNDAA troops and Mongyai-based junta forces are positioned face-to-face, with locals expressing concerns that clashes could break out at any moment.
The 325th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB-325) and 350th Artillery Battalion (AB-350), remnants of the junta’s Northeastern Regional Command, remain stationed in Mongyai, while the 67th Infantry Battalion (IB-67) is still deployed at the nearby Hoya-Tangyan intersection.
In the second week of July, intense fighting erupted between junta forces and the MNDAA in the Hoya Village Tract, Mongyai Township. Following the clashes, the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) entered and established a presence in Mongyai Town.