2015 Kokang offensive

2015 military operations in Myanmar August 2018 July 2026 2015 Kokang offensive Myanmar conflict Kokang.svg 175px Location of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone (green) within Shan State (yellow). 9 February 2015 – June 2015 Kokang Self-Administered Zone, Myanmar No territorial changes Burmese government victory Insurgents fail to capture Laukkai and are forced to flee to China Myanmar Myanmar Flag of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.svg People's Government of Kokang Flag of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.svg MNDAA Supported by: Infobox AA.png Arakan Army Flag of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army.svg TNLA Myanmar army Min Aung Hlaing Flag of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.svg Pheung Kya-shin Unknown Initial 1,000; later 3,000–4,000 total with reinforcementshttp://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/47-govt-troops-killed-tens-thousands-flee-heavy-fighting-shan-state.html 47 Govt Troops Killed, Tens of Thousands Flee Heavy Fighting in Shan State irrawaddy.org 126 killed59 woundedhttp://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/19/c_134163197.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20150422123324/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/19/c_134163197.htm dead 22 April 2015 Myanmar says 26 soldiers have been killed in fight with Kokang army Xinhua News Agency 19 April 2015 80–90 killed200+ woundedhttps://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-kokang-rebels-run-allies-29124556 Myanmar Says Kokang Rebels on the Run Despite Allies' Help ABC News ABC News https://web.archive.org/web/20220328102117/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-kokang-rebels-run-allies-29124556 March 28, 2022http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/150221/situation-myanmars-kokang-region-calm-down-gradually-officer Situation in Myanmar's Kokang region calm down gradually: officer GlobalPost 22 February 2015 22 February 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150222104942/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/150221/situation-myanmars-kokang-region-calm-down-gradually-officer deadhttp://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/rebels-declare-%E2%80%98unilateral-ceasefire%E2%80%99-myanmar-army Rebels declare 'unilateral ceasefire' with Myanmar army Mizzima 7 October 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150927154838/http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/rebels-declare-%E2%80%98unilateral-ceasefire%E2%80%99-myanmar-army 27 September 2015 dead ~200 killed in totalOver 50,000 civilians displaced The 2015 Kokang offensive was a series of military operations launched by the Myanmar Army in 2015 in Kokang in northern Shan State, Myanmar (Burma). Several clashes between the Myanmar Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army had taken place from February to May 2015. Background Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) is an insurgent group in Myanmar that was formerly part of the Communist Party of Burma. It became the first of a dozen armed factions to sign a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the then-ruling military junta after it broke apart from the communists in 1989.http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/kokang-02132015185129.html Myanmar Kokang Rebels Deny Receiving Chinese Weapons Radio Free Asia The Shan State Special Region 1 was created for the group to govern autonomously, and the MNDAA, under the leadership of Pheung Kya-shin, maintained the ceasefire with the government from 1989 to 2009. The ceasefire was broken in 2009 when the MNDAA came under pressure to transform into a paramilitary Border Guard Force under the control of the Burmese Army. The MNDAA resisted this move, and hostilities from the army increased, purportedly due to MNDAA's links with the drug trade.http://www.dvb.no/news/kokang-enlist-allies-help-in-fight-against-burma-army-myanmar/48184 Kokang enlist allies' help in fight against Burma army dvb.no 10 February 2015 NANG MYA NADI 16 February 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923221153/http://www.dvb.no/news/kokang-enlist-allies-help-in-fight-against-burma-army-myanmar/48184 23 September 2015 dead dmy-all After the 2009 Kokang incident, Pheung himself was driven out by his competitors from within the army and had fled after a warrant was issued for his arrest.April 2023 In December 2014, he told Chinese state media in an interview that the MNDAA was trying to regain some territories it lost in 2009.http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/burma-army-recovers-bodies-13-rebels-renewed-clash.html Myanmar Army Troops Recover Bodies of 13 Rebels in Renewed Clash irrawaddy.orghttp://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/thousands-reportedly-cross-china-flee-fighting-airstrikes-shan-state.html Thousands Reportedly Cross Into China to Flee Fighting, Airstrikes in Shan State irrawaddy.org Resurgence After six years of relative calm, fighting was first reported on 9 February 2015 in Laukkaing Township, Kokang Self-Administered Zone in the northern part of Shan state near Sino-Burmese border. The MNDAA troops, who were trying to retake the Kokang self-administered zone, had attacked Burmese army outposts near the town of Mawhtike on 9 February. Further fighting broke out in Tashwehtan, northwest of Laukkai in the morning of 10 February as Burmese army reinforcements arrived in the region. According to state-run newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, 200 Kokang insurgents, as opposed to government-loyal Kokang units, attacked an army military base in the Konkyan Township and shelled the army headquarters on 12 February.http://www.dvb.no/news/47-burmese-soldiers-killed-in-kokang-conflict-state-media-burma-myanmar/48285 47 Burmese soldiers killed in Kokang conflict: state media dvb.no DVB 13 February 2015 16 February 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923221035/http://www.dvb.no/news/47-burmese-soldiers-killed-in-kokang-conflict-state-media-burma-myanmar/48285 23 September 2015 dead dmy-all Myanmar government announced state of emergency on 17 February.http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2015-05/19/content_20774395.htm Myanmar announces extension of state of emergency in Kokang region 刘珊珊 chinadaily.com.cn The MNDAA's allies, the Arakan Army (AA) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were also fighting alongside the MNDAA. Some sources indicated that the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), United Wa State Army and National Democratic Alliance Armyhttp://www.elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9096:wa-tnla-kia-mongla-armed-groups-aiding-kokang-rebels-military-says&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354 Military says ethnic groups supplying Kokang rebels Thida Linn Eleven Myanmar were also involved, but KIA denied its involvement.http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/13108-tnla-arakan-army-join-kokang-fight.html Ethnic allies join Kokang fight The Myanmar Times mmtimes.comhttp://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9026:military-chief-discusses-clashes-with-ethnic-groups&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354 Military chief discusses clashes with ethnic groups Thida Linn Eleven Myanmarhttp://www.mizzima.com/mizzima-news/myanmar/item/17802-myanmar-airstrikes-hit-kokang-rebels Myanmar airstrikes hit Kokang rebels AFP mizzima.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20150310013123/http://mizzima.com/mizzima-news/myanmar/item/17802-myanmar-airstrikes-hit-kokang-rebels 10 March 2015 http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-army-claims-26-kokang-rebels-killed-burma-myanmar/48343 Burma army claims 26 Kokang rebels killed dvb.no 16 February 2015 NANG MYA NADI 16 February 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150216181333/http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-army-claims-26-kokang-rebels-killed-burma-myanmar/48343 16 February 2015 dead dmy-all After fighting for four months, Myanmar army troops had seized the last stronghold of MNDAA on 14 May 2015.http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/government-troops-%E2%80%98seize-last-stronghold-kokang-rebels%E2%80%99 Government troops 'seize last stronghold of Kokang rebels' Mizzima 7 October 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150907062704/http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/government-troops-%E2%80%98seize-last-stronghold-kokang-rebels%E2%80%99 7 September 2015 dead MNDAA declared a unilateral ceasefire on 11 June and Myanmar government offered a peace deal on 22 June 2015.http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/government-offers-peace-deal-kokang-rebels Government offers peace deal to Kokang Rebels Mizzima The MNDAA is thought to be under the command of former leader Pheung Kya-shin, who was ousted from his position by a government-backed Kokang faction in 2009 and has since lived in relative obscurity in China.http://www.dvb.no/news/tens-thousands-flee-war-airstrikes-kokang-region/48271 Tens of thousands flee war, airstrikes in Kokang region DVB Multimedia Group 31 March 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150328223618/http://www.dvb.no/news/tens-thousands-flee-war-airstrikes-kokang-region/48271 28 March 2015 dead dmy-all Civilians and refugees The conflict had forced 40,000 to 50,000 civilians to flee their homes and seek shelter on the Chinese side of the border while some 4,500 others had taken refuge in Lashio, Shan State.http://www.irrawaddy.org/multimedia-Myanmar/thousands-displaced-kokang-fighting-arrive-lashio.html Thousands Displaced by Kokang Fighting Arrive in Lashio irrawaddy.org A convoy of the Myanmar Red Cross Society, clearly marked with red cross insignia which was carrying its staff and at least two journalists, was attacked by MNDAA troops on 17 February after an aid mission in Laukkai Township. One member of the convoy was killed and another was injured in the attack.http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/red-cross-convoy-ambushed-near-laukkai.html Red Cross Convoy Ambushed Near Laukkai The Irrawaddy 17 February 2015 18 February 2015Aid worker dies from Kokang convoy attack wounds | Mizzima But MNDAA spokesperson, Tun Myat Lin, denied the charge.Myanmar, Kokang Rebels Trade Accusations Over Red Cross Attack http://www.southeastasiapost.com/index.php/sid/230374645 VOA 23 February 2015 5 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305091959/http://www.southeastasiapost.com/index.php/sid/230374645 dead On 13 March, a bomb hit a sugarcane field in Lincang, China killing four people and wounding nine others with Chinese government demanding a full investigation.https://ca.news.yahoo.com/china-threatens-decisive-response-myanmar-bombing-035317628.html China threatens 'decisive' response after Myanmar bombing 15 March 2015 Yahoo News Canadahttp://www.irrawaddy.org/Myanmar/air-force-back-in-kokang-action-amid-chinese-ire-over-border-bombing.html Myanmar's Air Force Back in Kokang Amid After Chinese Ire Over Border Bombing irrawaddy.org Burmese government issued a formal apology to China acknowledging the cross-border bombing.http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/13884-myanmar-apologises-to-china-over-cross-border-bombing.html Myanmar apologises to China over cross-border bombing The Myanmar Times 6 April 2015 6 April 2015 Lun Min Maung, Ye Mon Another five people from Lincang were injured on 14 May.http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/chinese-villagers-injured-myanmar-shell-fire Chinese villagers injured by Myanmar shell fire Mizzimahttp://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/army-chief-blames-mndaa-shelling-inside-china Army Chief blames MNDAA for shelling inside China Mizzima 2015 fighting At least 30 people died on 6 March 2015. Authorities said Kokang rebels dressed in police uniforms and launched a surprise raid. The clashes are some of the worst to break out in the Kokang region since fighting in 2015 left scores dead. Child soldiers It was reported by Reuters in March 2015 that the MNDAA uses child soldiers in the conflict.http://in.reuters.com/news/picture/myanmars-china-backed-rebels?articleId=INRTR4TOPJ https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094753/http://in.reuters.com/news/picture/myanmars-china-backed-rebels?articleId=INRTR4TOPJ dead 2 April 2015 Myanmar's China-backed rebels 20 March 2015 Reuters 20 March 2015 Stringer China Foreign support Burmese Minister for Information Ye Htut called on Chinese government to rein in any local officials who might be helping the group on their side of the border. According to Military intelligence of Myanmar, MNDAA forces are being supported by unemployed former Chinese soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army recruited as mercenaries.http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asean/480462/myanmar-points-finger-in-kokang Myanmar points finger in Kokang - Bangkok Post: news Post Publishing PCL. bangkokpost.com However, Chinese government has stated that it did not give military assistance to MNDAA and TNLA spokesman rejected the assertions by the Burmese government. References 30em 23 41 30 N 98 45 45 E type:event_region:MY_scale:1000 title Category:2015 in Myanmar Category:2015 conflicts Category:Kokang Category:Internal conflict in Myanmar Category:China–Myanmar border