The Kokang Allied Forces made a major breakthrough in Operation "1027" and successfully stormed Lao Cai City, the capital of Kokang. It was a decisive battle between the Kokang Alliance and the Tatmadaw and the Tatmadaw it supported, and a turning point in the situation in northern Myanmar. The fate of Lao Cai will affect the future of the entire Kokang region, and indeed the entire northern Myanmar region.
Lao Cai City is the political, economic and cultural center of the Kokang region, as well as the stronghold of the telefraud armed forces. The Telecom Fraud Armed Forces are armed groups led by the Pak Socheng and other families whose main income is telecom fraud, and they have agreements and interests with the Tatmadaw to fight against the Kokang Alliance. The Kokang Allied Army is a joint military force of the Kokang National Democratic Alliance (KNDAA) led by Peng Deren and a number of other Kokang ethnic armed forces, whose goal is to overthrow the rule of the Tatmadaw and establish the autonomy of the Kokang people.
The Kokang Allied Forces launched Operation 1027 on October 27 this year, with the aim of breaking the defense lines of the Tatmadaw and the telemail forces and retaking major towns in the Kokang region before the Tatmadaw army's "winter offensive". The Kokang Allied Army successively captured the commanding heights on the east side of Lao Cai and cut off the water and electricity in Lao Cai City, causing a shortage of materials and soaring prices in Lao Cai City. The Kokang Allied Forces also used drones and rocket launchers to carry out precision strikes on the strongholds of the telefraud armed forces in Lao Cai City, destroying their communication equipment and depots, and weakening their combat effectiveness and morale.
The Kokang Allied Army's offensive was met with stubborn resistance from the Burmese army and the Wire Fraud Forces, and fierce street fighting broke out between the two sides in the streets and buildings of Lao Cai City. The Tatmadaw sent several brigades, as well as tanks, armored vehicles, and other heavy troops, to try to stop the advance of the Kokang Allied forces. The Electrified Force, on the other hand, relied on their wealth and personnel to defend their lair desperately. Bai Suocheng and other families also publicly offered rewards, offering 5 million yuan to senior officers of the Kokang Alliance, 20,000 yuan to ordinary soldiers, and 5 million yuan plus 10 kilograms to Peng Deren, in an attempt to use money to ** the rebellion of the Kokang Alliance.
However, the Kokang allies were not swayed by money, and with firm faith and strong firepower, they gradually opened the defense line of Lao Cai City, capturing some key positions in Dongcheng District, including Liu Abao's Fuli Lai Group Building and the Wei family's "Golden Elephant City". The Kokang Allied Forces also captured some of the Tatmadaw army's advanced artillery, including Israeli-made M845P 155mm howitzers and American-made "Gustav" M2 recoilless guns, enhancing their firepower superiority. The Kokang Allied Army's offensive has put unprecedented pressure on the Tatmadaw and the Wire Warfare Forces, who are beginning to show signs of backing down and vacillating.
It has been learned that the Burmese army suffered heavy losses in the fighting in northern Burma, with many senior officers killed and many brigades destroyed, and the morale and combat effectiveness of the Burmese army plummeted. Min Aung Hlaing, the supreme commander of the Burmese army, personally went to the front line to inspect the positions of the Burmese army, comfort the soldiers of the Burmese army, and try to reverse the decline of the Burmese army. At the same time, the Burmese authorities have also communicated with the Kokang Allied Forces to seek the possibility of a peaceful solution. The Kokang Allied Forces said they are willing to engage in dialogue with the Burmese authorities, but only if the Burmese authorities recognize the legitimate rights of the Kokang people, stop military repression in the Kokang area, and release all Kokang people.
The Kokang Alliance's "1027" operation did not stop at Lao Cai City, they also had more ambitious goals and plans. Peng Deren, the leader of the Kokang Alliance, said that the ultimate goal of the Kokang Alliance is to establish an "autonomous state" in northern Myanmar with a predominantly Chinese population and realize the freedom and dignity of the Kokang people. In order to achieve this goal, it is possible that the Kokang Allied Army, after capturing Lao Cai City, will continue to advance westward and attack Mujie, an important border trade port in Burma. Mujie is an important passage for border trade of more than 70% of the northern border of Myanmar, and it is also an important settlement of Chinese in northern Myanmar. If the Kokang allies were able to capture Mujie, they would be able to stabilize their financial resources, expand their influence, and lay the foundations for their "autonomous state". It is also possible that the Kokang Alliance will form an alliance with other ethnic forces in northern Burma, such as the De'ang Army and the Jingpo Army, to jointly resist the oppression of the Burmese army and change the pattern of northern Burma.
The Battle of Lao Cai was a life-and-death battle between the Kokang Allied Army and the Tatmadaw and the Wire Fraud Forces, and it was also a key juncture in the situation in northern Myanmar. The Kokang Alliance's "1027" operation will continue to affect the political, economic and social development of the entire northern Myanmar region, and deserves our continued attention.